Using the concepts of positive deviance, diffusion of innovation and normal curve for planning family and community level health interventions

J Family Med Prim Care. 2019 Feb;8(2):336-341. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_392_18.

Abstract

In medical schools across the globe, students are taught about the "THE NORMAL CURVE" as a part of statistics unit of Public Health, Community, and Family Medicine. However, its potentials for explaining the subject of health education and behavior change are grossly underutilized. Through this article, we attempt to demonstrate that this can be sorted out by integrating theories of Positive Deviance and Diffusion of Innovation through extrapolation of the concepts of "THE NORMAL CURVE" for explaining or planning things and events in Public Health, Community, and Family Medicine.

Keywords: Diffusion of innovation; normal curve; positive deviance.

Publication types

  • Review