A process evaluation revealed that flexibility was key to delivering nutrition education to vulnerable tribal groups in India

Background This study is a process evaluation of a nutrition education intervention that is part of a large-scale development program targeting vulnerable tribal groups in Odisha, India. Objective The objectives are to examine whether the intervention is operating as planned (implementation fidelity...

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Main Authors: Mockshell, Jonathan, Ritter, Thea, Garrett, James
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: SAGE Publications 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/173391
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author Mockshell, Jonathan
Ritter, Thea
Garrett, James
author_browse Garrett, James
Mockshell, Jonathan
Ritter, Thea
author_facet Mockshell, Jonathan
Ritter, Thea
Garrett, James
author_sort Mockshell, Jonathan
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Background This study is a process evaluation of a nutrition education intervention that is part of a large-scale development program targeting vulnerable tribal groups in Odisha, India. Objective The objectives are to examine whether the intervention is operating as planned (implementation fidelity), investigate potential pathways to achieve greater impact, and provide recommendations on how to design nutrition education interventions in similar contexts. Methods A program impact pathway forms the basis of this process evaluation, tracing inputs, processes, outputs, outcomes, and impacts. The study's mixed-methods approach includes semistructured interviews, focus group discussions, and Process Net-Mapping. Narrative analysis was applied to examine the transcripts. Data were analyzed in the context of the program impact pathway. Results The intervention was not delivered as intended (low implementation fidelity). Flexibility was key in providing nutrition education to beneficiaries despite challenges, such as the inability to utilize behavior change communication, inadequate funding, and language and cultural barriers. Despite low fidelity, the qualitative results show that the intervention improved awareness of nutrition and health among beneficiaries. Conclusions Providing adequate resources for training frontline workers and beneficiaries is required for nutrition education programs to achieve their desired effectiveness and impact. Utilizing existing organizations, integration into production-based interventions, and incorporating easy-to-understand nutrition models, practical demonstrations, and videos would increase frontline worker and beneficiary engagement and understanding, leading to improved maternal and child nutritional and health outcomes.
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spelling CGSpace1733912025-10-26T13:02:35Z A process evaluation revealed that flexibility was key to delivering nutrition education to vulnerable tribal groups in India Mockshell, Jonathan Ritter, Thea Garrett, James evaluation nutrition education Background This study is a process evaluation of a nutrition education intervention that is part of a large-scale development program targeting vulnerable tribal groups in Odisha, India. Objective The objectives are to examine whether the intervention is operating as planned (implementation fidelity), investigate potential pathways to achieve greater impact, and provide recommendations on how to design nutrition education interventions in similar contexts. Methods A program impact pathway forms the basis of this process evaluation, tracing inputs, processes, outputs, outcomes, and impacts. The study's mixed-methods approach includes semistructured interviews, focus group discussions, and Process Net-Mapping. Narrative analysis was applied to examine the transcripts. Data were analyzed in the context of the program impact pathway. Results The intervention was not delivered as intended (low implementation fidelity). Flexibility was key in providing nutrition education to beneficiaries despite challenges, such as the inability to utilize behavior change communication, inadequate funding, and language and cultural barriers. Despite low fidelity, the qualitative results show that the intervention improved awareness of nutrition and health among beneficiaries. Conclusions Providing adequate resources for training frontline workers and beneficiaries is required for nutrition education programs to achieve their desired effectiveness and impact. Utilizing existing organizations, integration into production-based interventions, and incorporating easy-to-understand nutrition models, practical demonstrations, and videos would increase frontline worker and beneficiary engagement and understanding, leading to improved maternal and child nutritional and health outcomes. 2025-03 2025-02-26T09:43:42Z 2025-02-26T09:43:42Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/173391 en Limited Access SAGE Publications Mockshell, J.; Ritter, T.; Garrett, J. (2025) A process evaluation revealed that flexibility was key to delivering nutrition education to vulnerable tribal groups in India. Food and Nutrition Bulletin, Online first paper (2025-02-07). ISSN: 0379-5721
spellingShingle evaluation
nutrition education
Mockshell, Jonathan
Ritter, Thea
Garrett, James
A process evaluation revealed that flexibility was key to delivering nutrition education to vulnerable tribal groups in India
title A process evaluation revealed that flexibility was key to delivering nutrition education to vulnerable tribal groups in India
title_full A process evaluation revealed that flexibility was key to delivering nutrition education to vulnerable tribal groups in India
title_fullStr A process evaluation revealed that flexibility was key to delivering nutrition education to vulnerable tribal groups in India
title_full_unstemmed A process evaluation revealed that flexibility was key to delivering nutrition education to vulnerable tribal groups in India
title_short A process evaluation revealed that flexibility was key to delivering nutrition education to vulnerable tribal groups in India
title_sort process evaluation revealed that flexibility was key to delivering nutrition education to vulnerable tribal groups in india
topic evaluation
nutrition education
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/173391
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