Theory of Change for Reducing Child Malnutrition Relapse in Mali

A 2026 document by Suvi T. Kangas details a participatory theory of change for reducing relapse in children after recovery from severe acute malnutrition in Mali. It presents findings from an evidence review and stakeholder workshops identifying three direct causes of relapse and corresponding intervention aims. The work was published on figshare under a CC-BY-4.0 license.

Use Cases

• Analyzing the three identified direct causes of relapse (inadequate initial treatment, inadequate dietary intake post-discharge, frequent illness episodes) to model intervention pathways.
• Validating the proposed intervention components, such as post-treatment monitoring and small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplement (SQ-LNS) provision, against local stakeholder feedback.
• Using the documented problem tree and theory of change structure to inform the design of similar malnutrition relapse prevention programs in other regions.
• Supporting process evaluations by referencing the identified facilitators, barriers, and assumptions for implementing the post-discharge monitoring program.

Strengths

• Document is recent, last updated in April 2026.
• Development involved validation with local stakeholders including Mali's Ministry of Health, a local university (USTTB), and IRC nutrition staff.
• Clear, structured methodology involving a four-step approach including evidence review and stakeholder workshops.

Limitations

• Dataset is a single 41.8 KB DOCX file containing narrative text, not structured quantitative data.
• No sample data, row counts, or column names are provided for statistical analysis.
• Geographic scope is limited specifically to Mali, limiting generalizability.

Provenance

Source

Suvi T. Kangas, published on figshare.

Collection Method

Participatory development via evidence review, online workshops, and one in-person workshop with local stakeholders.

Time Range

Document reflects work conducted and published in 2026.

Freshness

Last updated on 2026-04-08.

Geography

Mali.