Register for the Hepatitis C Course (Free with Registration)
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Course Introduction
Nutrition plays a critical role in the management of hepatitis C. Dietitians of Canada has developed this online course to familiarize health care providers with effective nutrition care for the growing number of Canadians infected with the hepatitis C virus.
The course walks you through the nationally recognized nutrition care guidelines released by Dietitians of Canada in March 2003, produced with funding from Health Canada, Community Acquired Infections Division.
The guidelines have been endorsed by leading authorities in Canada:
Relevance to Practice
Chronic hepatitis C is one of the most common liver diseases in the world, with an estimated 170 million carriers and in Canada some 5,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Up to 85% of persons exposed to the hepatitis C virus develop chronic liver disease. Hepatitis C will become a critical issue in the next decade, as increasing numbers of Canadians are diagnosed with the disease and more complications develop in those who are diagnosed now.
Nutrition plays a critical role in the management of this increasingly prevalent chronic disease. Be prepared with this free online course!
Features and Benefits
Dietitians of Canada has developed this online course to familiarize health care providers with effective nutrition care for the growing number of Canadians infected with the hepatitis C virus.
The course walks the participant through nationally recognized nutrition care guidelines released by Dietitians of Canada in March 2003, produced with funding from Health Canada, Community Acquired Infections Division.
The guidelines are directed to a wide range of health care providers, including:
- physicians
- nurses
- registered dietitians
- pharmacists
- educators
- fitness professionals
- other health intermediaries
Or anyone else in a position to offer nutrition-related advice and guidance to persons infected with the hepatitis C virus.
Until this time there has been little evidence-based guidance for health care providers and for individuals with hepatitis C regarding appropriate food choices. The guidelines are based on the best information available at the time of publication—scientific evidence and best-accepted practice.
The guidelines and supporting client education materials were developed with the technical support of an advisory committee, with representatives from the above organizations. The guidelines were also reviewed by health professionals practising in this area, including a working group of registered dietitians. The patient handouts were tested in focus groups with persons infected with the hepatitis C virus.
Content Summary
The course guides the participant through the comprehensive information in the guidelines:
- Nutrition care in the early stages of the disease
- Management of complications such as ascites and malnutrition in later stages
- Overcoming challenges of nutritional assessment in this population group
- Management of common symptoms of hepatitis C and side effects of medical treatments
- Background information on common complementary and alternative medical therapies.
The guidelines provide Practice Essentials, detailed background rationale and practical Appendices.
Format for Learning
The Hepatitis C Course includes a series of downloadable PDF files that can be read online or printed and read offline at your convenience. It is expected that the course will take about 8 to 12 hours to complete. However, you can take as much time as you need, and you can break up your learning into several smaller sessions.
The components below are available to aid in learning about and applying the nutrition care guidelines. It is suggested that you download the course overview and guidelines first. You can then get the most out of the course by reviewing each chapter of the guidelines in parallel with the related learning objectives and course overview section.
Upon completing your review of the course overview and the guidelines, two case studies are available to reinforce your learning. They will help you locate any areas that you may want to review before taking the final test.
- Table of Contents & Learning Objectives
- Course Overview* - 10 page background to review in parallel with the guidelines (PDF)
- Guidelines* - the 90 page central part of the course (available in English & French) (PDF)
- Patient Education Handouts* (available in English & French) (PDF)
- Case Studies* - to reinforce learning from the course
- Final Test*
* FREE with registration
Click to view the Course Table of Contents.
Register for the Hepatitis C Course (Free)
