Community and health systems learning: critical realist evaluation of the VAPAR ‘learning platform’ in rural South Africa 2015-25
Over a decade, VAPAR demonstrated how structured, participatory learning can reshape relationships, strengthen community-linked PHC, and support institutionalisation of routine, evidence-informed practice in decentralised health systems. The findings offer transferable lessons for sustaining learning platforms in resource-constrained settings.
Authors
- Jennifer Hove (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5392-8537)
- Maria van der Merwe (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4174-2994)
- Lucia D’Ambruoso (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8505-3368)
- Denny Mabetha (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8062-4750)
- Jerry Sigudla (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6112-921X)
- Gerhard Goosen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7105-8056)
- Sophie Witter (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7656-6188)
- Nombuyiselo Nkalanga
Institutions
- Western Cape Department of Health (ZA)
- Queen Margaret University (GB)
- University of the Witwatersrand (ZA)
- University of Aberdeen (GB)
- Stellenbosch University (ZA)
- NHS Grampian (GB)
- Agincourt Health and Socio-Demographic Surveillance System (ZA)
- White River Junction VA Medical Center (US)
- Västerbotten County (SE)
- Umeå University (SE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Wellcome Open Research
- Published
- 2025-12-12
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.23381.2
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Critical Realism in Sociology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 4.20