Community participation in health system strengthening: co-production of local evidence to influence action for health improvement in rural South Africa

 

It is with great pleasure that I present to you my PhD thesis. This work represents the culmination of years of research and study, and I am honoured to share it with you.

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Throughout this thesis, I have endeavoured to explore and contribute to the field of rural health, with a particular focus on community participation in health. My research has been guided by a deep passion for understanding the forms, processes, contexts, and mechanisms of community participation in health, and have been fortunate enough to collaborate with many skilled and expert individuals within the Agincourt Health and socio-Demographic Surveillance System Site and along the way.

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As you read through these pages, I hope that you will gain greater appreciation for the complexity and importance of community participation in decision making. I believe that the insights and findings presented here will make a valuable contribution to the ongoing conversation in the field and look forward to seeing how they may be built upon and expanded in the future.

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Jennifer Hove PhD

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