Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

Inclusion

· Frameworks, used or proposed, to assess, evaluate, or understand the connection between process, structure and/or outcomes of knowledge networks

· Frameworks, used or proposed, to assess, evaluate, or understand the connection between process, structure and/or outcomes of groups labeled ‘community of practice’

· Frameworks, used or proposed, to assess, evaluate, or understand the connection between process, structure and/or outcomes of that groups of people developed using CoP and/or other related theories (e.g., situated learning theory, legitimate peripheral learning) (Li et al., 2009)

· Frameworks, used or proposed, to assess, evaluate, or understand the connection between process, structure, and/or outcomes of learning and knowledge sharing within a group or network context

· Evaluations of CoP(s)/KN(s) as the unit of analysis

· Journal articles, reports, conference proceedings

The following evaluation approaches and methods are accepted

· Knowledge/theory testing questions related to operationalizing the characteristics of CoPs

· Formative inquiry questions related to CoP/KN development

· Summative evaluation questions related to determining the merit/worth of CoPs/KNs.

· Qualitative, quantitative or mixed method evaluations

Exclusion

· Models, theories and/or conceptual frameworks that only document or describe CoP or network processes (i.e. and do not include description of an evaluation framework or methods, or do not evaluate some component of the KN/CoP) (Van Eerd et al. 2011)

· Evaluations of a program, policy, practice, or intervention in which no community of practice question/objective is answered/addressed (e.g. evaluating clinical interventions, health services, curricula, quality improvement studies, health promotion programs, and training programs that occur outside of community of practice/defined network) (Van Eerd et al. 2011)

· Evaluations of networks that are not some form of learning partnership

· Evaluations or analysis that only confirm the existence of KN/CoP

o Articles that use SNA to describe the structure only

· Evaluation of initiative or program to promote the creation/development of CoPs/knowledge network (i.e. did initiative X result in a CoP)

· Evaluation in groups that share a common profession that are not part of a social-professional network

· Evaluations of research networks, where social-professional relationships and knowledge sharing is not part of the evaluation (e.g. clinical trial networks that feed data into a common study).

· Education or learning initiatives that do not occur within an already established CoP (e.g. evaluation of a new situated-learning curriculum for medical students, establishing learning communities in first year students, evaluation of classroom learning communities)

· Service-delivery networks (i.e., networks with shared referral patterns)

· Studies of ‘community practice’, as in health care service delivery in the community

· Clinical studies (clinical intervention, clinical outcome)

o Note: in some cases these can occur within a practice based research network, these should still be excluded

· Evaluation of technology (even if that technology promotes learning within a CoP)

· Evaluations of Computer/software network

o Note: virtually learning communities are still to be included

· Books, book chapters, posters

References

Li LC, Grimshaw JM, Nielsen C, Judd M, Coyte PC, Graham ID (2009b) Use of communities of practice in business and health care sectors: A systematic review. Implementation Science 4:16

Van Eerd D, Cole D, Keown K, Irvin E, Kramer D, Brenneman Gibson J, Kohn M, Mahood Q, Slack T, Amick III B, Phipps D, Garcia J, Morassaei S (2011) Report on knowledge transfer and exchange practices: A systematic review of the quality and types of instruments used to assess kte implementation and impact. Institute for Work & Health, Toronto

What are communities of practice in ecosystems approaches to health (CoPEHs)?

Overview of Communities of Practice in Ecosystems Approaches to Health (CoPEHs)

CoPEHs are groups of individuals (with organizational and institutional connections) who are committed to the field of ecohealth. CoPEHs often have cores of researchers with high levels of commitment to capacity building in ecosystem approaches, as well as peripheral members with varying levels of engagement. CoPEHs are dispersed, but they tend to have a nodal structure. Due to the geographical distance (e.g. across countries, across continents) at which CoPEHs operate, they often communicate virtually. The domain of interest of the CoPEHs is ecosystem approaches to health, however they do engage in multiple, diverse practices. The regional CoPEHs build off existing capacities and have varying foci, including emerging infectious diseases, occupational health, as well as ecohealth training and scholarship. Capacity building is a central focus of the CoPEHs, often in groups with courses and workshops; individual participants build their own skill and knowledge through participation. Developing and engaging in collaborative networks aligns with ecohealth principles, particularly those concerning participation and knowledge-to-action.

Most CoPEHs were made possible through support from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) for networking and capacity building activities (De Plaen and Kilelu 2004; Parkes et al. 2012). Consultation initiated by IDRC identified three core functions of any ecohealth network or community of practice: to create an ecohealth peer community, to develop research capacities in ecohealth, and to enhance the uptake of ecohealth research and its influence on policy and practice (Flynn-Dapaah 2003; Parkes et al. 2012). While IDRC contributed to the original ideas of the CoPEHs, there is now a wide range of influences (Charron 2012). Mutual exchange and learning are not bound by the CoPEHs, and neither are the multiple dialogues that define the field (De Plaen and Kilelu 2004; Charron 2012).

Methods (Search Strategy)

The synopsis above was based on a scan of available literature and CoPEH related web resources, as well as participant observation. The scan used Google Scholar and Scopus with the search terms “community of practice” or “communities of practice” in combination with “ecohealth” or published in the EcoHealth journal. Titles were scanned for relevance. Only the titles from the first 60 Google Scholar results were reviewed due to limited relevance. Twenty-nine full texts were reviewed with seven articles explicitly including information about ecohealth collaborative structures. The web search was conducted by looking for websites of known CoPEHs and related organizations.

Results- Relevant material from literature and web search

Articles, reports, thesises

Charron DF (2012) Ecosystem approaches to health for a global sustainability agenda. EcoHealth 9:256-266

De Plaen R, Kilelu C (2004) From multiple voices to a common language: Ecosystem approaches to human health as an emerging paradigm. EcoHealth 1:SU8-SU15

Flynn-Dapaah K (2003) Ecosystem approaches to human health global community of practice: Report on the design phase consultations. International Development Research Centre, Ottawa

Gresham LS, Pray LA, Wibulpolprasert S, and Trayner B (2011) Public–private partnerships in trust-based public health social networking: Connecting organizations for regional disease surveillance (CORDS). Journal of Commercial Biotechnology17:241-247

Nguyen V (2011). Understanding the Concept and Practice of Ecosystem Approaches to Health in the Context of Public Health Thesis. The University of Guelph

Parkes MW (2011) Diversity, emergence, resilience: Guides for a new generation of ecohealth research and practice. EcoHealth 8(2):137-139

Parkes MW, Charron DF, Sanchez A (2012) Better together: field-building networks at the frontiers of ecohealth research. In:Ecohealth Research in Practice: Innovative Applications of an Ecosystem Approach to Health, Charron DF (editor), Insight and Innovation in Development, New York, NY: Springer and Ottawa, Canada: International Development Research Centre, pp 231–253

Rapport DJ, and Mergler D (2004). Expanding the practice of ecosystem health. EcoHealth 1:SU4-SU7

Spiegel J, Breilh J, Beltran E, Parra J, Solis F, Yassi A, et al. (2011). Establishing a community of practice of researchers, practitioners, policy-makers and communities to sustainably manage environmental health risks in Ecuador. BMC international health and human rights 11:S5

Websites

American University of Beirut Faculty of Health Sciences (n.d.) CoPEH-MENA Available:http://www.aub.edu.lb/fhs/fhs_home/outreach_practice_training/unit/community_services/Pages/copeh-mena_about.aspx [accessed February 07, 2014]

COPEH-AOC (2007) Institutionnalisation de l'Approache Ecosysteme et Sante Humnine en Afrique de l'ouest et du centre/COPES-AOC Available:http://www.copes-aoc.org/ [accessed February 07, 2014]

COPEH-Canada (2014) CoPEH-Canada: Candian community of practice in ecosystem approaches to health with an ecohealth training and awards program Available:http://www.copeh-canada.org/ [accessed February 07, 2014]

CoPEH-LAC (2014) CoPEH LAC: Communidad de Practica sobre el Enfoque Ecosistemico en Salud Humana Available:http://www.copehlac.una.ac.cr/. Accessed on 07/02, 2014

CoPEH-SSEA (n.d.) Community of Practice in Ecohealth - South and South East Asia CoPEH-SSEA Available:https://sites.google.com/site/veterinairessansfrontieres/ [accessed February 07, 2014]

International Association for Ecology and Health (2010). Ecohealth2010 Global Ecohealth Challenges; Multiple Perspectives: Programme and Abstract Book Available: http://ecohealth-live.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/EcoHealth2010_Final_online_programme_abstractbook.pdf [accessed February 07, 2014]

International Development Research Centre (n.d.) Ecosystems and Human Health: COPEHs Continue to Sow Partnership Seeds Available:http://www.idrc.ca/EN/Programs/Agriculture_and_the_Environment/Ecosystem_Approaches_to_Human_Health/Pages/ArticleDetails.aspx?PublicationID=838 [accessed February 07, 2014]

International Development Research Centre (2013) IDRC Archive: Communities of Practice in Ecohealth Available:http://web.idrc.ca/es/ev-101449-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html [accessed February 07, 2014]

Results- Material from search not deemed relevant

A number of sources did not provide information on ecohealth collaborative structures. Many of the articles focus on, or include information on, the evolution of the field of ecosystem approaches to health. The evolution in the field occurs through the interaction of those participating in ecohealth in the global contexts. However, if the articles did not describe the collaborative structure of researchers, practitioners, policy-makers and/or communities involved in ecohealth, they were not included in the material above.

Bunch MJ (2011) Promoting health and well-being by managing for social–ecological resilience: the potential of integrating ecohealth and water resources management approaches

Cole DC, Crissman CC, and Orozco A (2006) Canada's international development research centre's eco-health projects with Latin Americans: Origins, development and challenges. Canadian journal of public health 97:8-14

Doherty P (2011) 1 st International One Health Congress Abstracts Plenary Abstracts. EcoHealth 7:S8-S170

Forget G, and Lebel J (2001) An ecosystem approach to human health. International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health 7:S3-38

Garelli FM (2011) Don’t Shrink from the Really Hard Ones. EcoHealth 8:400-401

Gitau T, Gitau MW, and Waltner-Toews D (2008) Integrated assessment of health and sustainability of agroecosystems. CRC Press

Horwitz P (2012) From Pillars to Principles: Affirming the Field of Ecohealth. EcoHealth :1-2.

Kilelu C, De Plaen R, and Farella N (2004) Contributions to the International Forum on Ecosystem Approaches to Human Health. EcoHealth1:SU1-SU3.

Koné B, Feagan M, Houenou YA, Brou N, Houenou PV, Fayomi B, Ngnikam E, Cissé G, Spiegel J, Kouassi E (2011) Facilitating the relationship between researchers and policy-makers: experiences from three ecohealth projects in West and Central Africa. EcoHealth 8(4):413-417

Kouam-Kenmogme GR, Rosillon F, Nono A, and Grelle-Mpakam H Health-related aspects of wastewater reuse in urban truck farming: A case study of Yaoundé, Cameroon. Environmental and Human Health–Risk Management in Developing Countries :217

Lebel J (2004) Ecohealth and the developing world. EcoHealth 1:325-326

Mitchell-Foster KL (2013) Interdisciplinary knowledge translation and evaluation strategies for participatory dengue prevention in Machala, Ecuador.

Morrison K, Prieto PA, Domínguez AC, Waltner-Toews D, and FitzGibbon J (2008) Ciguatera fish poisoning in La Habana, Cuba: a study of local social–ecological resilience. EcoHealth 5:346-359

Parkes MW, Spiegel J, Breilh J, Cabarcas F, Huish R, and Yassi A (2009) Promoting the health of marginalized populations in Ecuador through international collaboration and educational innovations. Bulletin of the World Health Organization,87(4): 312-319

Rweyemamu MM, Kambarage D, Paweska J, and Sandrigham J Towards one Africa, One Health The SACIDS One Health Virtual Centre for Infectious Diseases

Sauvé L, Godmaire H (2004) Environmental health education: a participatory holistic approach. EcoHealth 1:SU35-SU46.

Waltner-Toews D (2009) Food, global environmental change and health: EcoHealth to the rescue? McGill Journal of Medicine: MJM12:85

Webb JC, Mergler D, Parkes MW, Saint-Charles J, Spiegel J, Waltner-Toews D, Yassi A, Woollard RF (2010) Tools for thoughtful action: the role of ecosystem approaches to health in enhancing public health. Canadian Journal of Public Health101(6):439-41

Zinsstag J (2012) Convergence of Ecohealth and One Health. EcoHealth 9:371