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Table 2 Presentation of the initial programme theories

From: Can sexual health interventions make community-based health systems more responsive to adolescents? A realist informed study in rural Zambia

Programme Theory 1

Programme Theory 2

IF interventions that aim to address the SRHR issues of adolescents in the CBHS are supported by existing national policies, socio-cultural norms, existing CBHS structures and functioning local health facilities

THEN the interventions are likely to make all key stakeholders in the CBHS develop a positive attitude towards adolescents’ SRHR, which will encourage uptake of SRHR services and information

BECAUSE, at individual level, the intervention will improve awareness and knowledge, clarify the values on SRHR among all the actors (adolescents, CBHWs, teachers and community members), which will at collective level lead to improved communication and cohesion, social connections and linkages among the actors. AS A RESULT, the ‘ordinary’ CBHSs will be transformed into systems that are responsive to the SRHR needs of adolescents

IF interventions that aim to address the SRHR issues of adolescents in the CBHS are NOT supported by the existing national policies, rejected due to socio-cultural norms and not integrated in the existing CBHS structures and functional local health facilities

THEN the interventions are likely to make all the key stakeholders develop or maintain a negative attitude towards adolescents’ SRHR, which will discourage uptake of SRHR services and information

BECAUSE at individual-level the intervention will NOT improve awareness and knowledge, clarify the values on SRHR among all the actors (adolescents, CBHWs, teachers and community members) and at a collective level the intervention will not lead to improved communication and cohesion, social connections and linkages among the actors. AS A RESULT, the ‘ordinary’ CBHSs will NOT be transformed into systems that are responsive to the SRHR needs of adolescents

  1. Programme theories were structured using 'If....., Then....., Because.....'