Harnessing Positive Deviance to Address Health Inequalities: A Community-Based Approach in Underserved Communities to Promote Equity in Non-Communicable Diseases

African and Caribbean communities in the UK often live in deprived socioeconomic conditions and have higher rates of obesity and non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Traditional deficit approaches to improve diet and physical activity have been ineffective, resulting in persistent health inequalities.

Asset-based approaches are becoming more common within public health interventions - positive deviance assumes solutions already exist within communities, and positive deviants succeed by demonstrating uncommon or different behaviours.

This research aims to identify and understand these positive deviant health-related diet and physical activity behaviours and their contextual factors using co-produced qualitative and quantitative secondary data analysis within these communities to understand how obesity and NCDs can be managed or prevented.

These results will enable the development of a conceptual framework that will harness positive deviance behaviours to develop culturally-tailored public health interventions for African and Caribbean populations that foster community empowerment and support healthy ageing.

This award is a critical step towards my aspiration of becoming a research leader in lifestyle interventions among African and Caribbean populations.

It will enhance my research capacity, foster new collaborations, and strengthen existing partnerships, paving the way for sustained funding for more impactful research in these communities.