Learning Sites for Health Systems Research: Reflections on Five Programs in Africa, Asia, and Central America
Date: December 2024
Author(s): Sophie Witter, Shophika Regmi, Joanna Raven, Jacinta Nzinga, Maria van der Merwe, Walter Flores, Lucia D'Ambruoso
Publication type: Scholarly journal article
Published by: Learning Health Systems
Learning sites are research platforms established in a specific geographical area, where researchers and local actors collaborate over an extended period of time to develop contextually tailored interventions. Learning sites have supported intervention development and testing in health care, but studies reflecting on lessons relating to their deployment for health policy and system research (HPSR) in low- and middle-income settings are limited.
This experience report draws from learning over three continents and five research and community engagement programs—the oldest starting in 2010—to reflect on the challenges and benefits of doing embedded HPSR in learning sites, and how those have been managed. Its objective is to generate better understanding of their potential and constraints. The report draws from team members’ experiential insights and program publications.
We highlight the potential of learning sites to develop relationships, capacities, and local innovations which can strengthen health systems in the long term and some lessons in relation to how to do that, including the importance of stable, long-term funding as well as developing and recognizing facilitation skills among researchers. Supporting spaces for learning is particularly important when health systems face resource constraints and everyday or acute stressors and shocks.