title: Determinants of better health: a cross-sectional assessment of positive deviants among women in West Bengal.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rural women in West Bengal have been found to have low rates of formal education, poor health knowledge, high rates of malnutrition and anemia, and low levels of empowerment. Despite these difficult circumstances, some women have positive health outcomes compared to women with similarly disadvantaged backgrounds. The purpose of this study is to identify factors associated with positive health outcomes among women with primary education or less.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multivariable regression models were built for outcomes of positive deviance to better characterize the factors in a woman's life that most impact her ability to deviate from the status quo.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Positive deviants in this context are shown to be women who are able to earn an income, who have access to information through media sources, and who, despite little schooling, have marginally higher levels of formal education that lead to improved health outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Study findings indicate that positive deviant women in disadvantaged circumstances can achieve positive outcomes amidst a host of contextual barriers that would predict poor health outcomes. Focusing on areas such as enhancing access to media sources, facilitating self-help groups for married women, and promoting prolonged education and delayed marriage for girls may improve health knowledge and behavior among married women with low levels of education.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. katelyn.noel.long@gmail.com
authors.forename: Katelyn Ng
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Lisa H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Gren
authors.forename: Chris A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Rees
authors.forename: Joshua H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: Parley Cougar
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Bobbi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: Benjamin T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Crookston
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D017533:Marital Status / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D016387:Women's Health; D055815:Young Adult