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Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation
Research in Complementary and Alternative Nutrition Therapies
Course: FON225

First Term: 2021 Fall
 Lecture   3.0 Credit(s)   3.0 Period(s)   3.0 Load  
Subject Type: Occupational
Load Formula: S


Description: Introduction to basic research methods and statistics as applied to complementary and alternative nutrition therapies. Emphasis on the analysis and interpretation of health-related research.



MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. Define Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in health care settings. (I)
2. Describe alternative systems of practice and nutrition therapies common to CAM. (I)
3. Describe consumer use of CAM and health professional`s CAM. (II)
4. Identify available sources of various CAM-related publications. (II)
5. Describe history of CAM regulation practices including funding and legislation. (III)
6. Identify labeling requirements and manufacturing standards in CAM. (III)
7. Locate reliable and valid research in CAM. (IV)
8. Identify scientific research methods and apply them to CAM. (IV)
9. Identify ethical concerns associated with CAM research. (V)
10. Identify characteristics of CAM experimental research designs. (VI)
11. Describe various data collection techniques common in CAM research. (VI)
12. Describe types of CAM research methods including analysis and interpretation of CAM data. (VII)
13. Summarize, interpret, and critique scientific reports in CAM nutrition therapy. (VIII)
14. Apply research techniques to quality control and improvement in CAM nutrition therapies. (VIII)
15. Describe roles and responsibilities of CAM nutrition therapy practitioners. (VIII)
MCCCD Official Course Competencies must be coordinated with the content outline so that each major point in the outline serves one or more competencies. MCCCD faculty retains authority in determining the pedagogical approach, methodology, content sequencing, and assessment metrics for student work. Please see individual course syllabi for additional information, including specific course requirements.
 
MCCCD Official Course Outline
I. Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in Health Care
   A. Definition of CAM
   B. Alternative systems of practice
      1. Traditional Chinese medicine
      2. Ayurvedic medicine
      3. Homeopathic medicine
      4. Mind-body interventions
      5. Biologically-based therapies
      6. Herbal medicine
      7. Manipulative body-based methods
      8. Energy Therapies
   C. Nutrition therapies used in CAM
      1. Herbal supplementation
      2. Phytochemicals
      3. Functional foods
      4. Therapeutic diets
      5. Other
II. Consumer Use of CAM
   A. Rationale for supplementation
   B. Consumer motivation
      1. Sales figures
      2. Popular CAM products and therapies
   C. Sources of information
      1. Health Professionals
      2. Lay Publications
         a. print form
         b. Internet
   D. Health professionals knowledge of CAM
III. Regulation of CAM
   A. Historical Perspective
      1. Funding for CAM Research
      2. Legislation
   B. Regulatory Agencies
      1. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
      2. Unites States Dept. of Agriculture (USDA)
      3. Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS)
      4. Other
   C. Agency Regulations
      1. Labeling
         a. requirements
         b. claims
      2. Manufacturing standards
         a. safety
         b. recalls
IV. Research in CAM
   A. Reliable and valid research in CAM
      1. Prevalence
      2. Availability
      3. Resources
   B. Scientific method description
      1. Problem
         a. selection
         b. statement
         c. justification
      2. Literature review in CAM
      3. Hypothesis
         a. formation
         b. procedures for testing used in CAM
      4. Draw conclusions
      5. Evaluation of data
V. Research Ethics in CAM
   A. History
   B. Major issues
      1. Value
      2. Validity
      3. Justification
   C. Ethicalissues in CAM health care policies
VI. Conducting Research in CAM
   A. Characteristics of CAM experiments
      1. Design
      2. Variables
      3. Control
      4. Validity
         a. internal
         b. external
   B. Data collection used in CAM research
      1. Survey
      2. Interview
      3. Questionnaire
      4. Scaling focus groups
   C. Sampling
      1. Purpose
      2. Techniques
         a. Probability
         b. Nonprobability
      3. Sample size
VII. Research Methods used in CAM
   A. Characteristics and Terminology
   B. Types
      1. Quantitative
      2. Qualitative
   C. Epidemiological Studies in CAM
      1. Cohort
      2. Case-Control
   D. Methods of Measurement in CAM research
   E. Analysis and Interpretation of CAM data
      1. Descriptive statistics
      2. Inferential statistics
   F. Data Presentation
VIII. Applications to Health Care Settings providing Nutrition Therapy in CAM
   A. Interpret and critique scientific reports with CAM in nutrition therapy focus
      1. Journal articles
      2. Research examples
         a. various CAM nutrition therapies
         b. consumer use of nutrition therapies in CAM
         c. reliable vs. on-reliable sources
         d. ethical issues
         e. CAM nutrition therapy research methods
   B. Quality control and improvement
      1. Regulation of CAM nutrition therapy practitioners
      2. Certification of CAM nutrition therapy programs
   C. Roles and responsibilities of CAM nutrition therapy practitioners
      1. Applying CAM nutrition therapy research in practice
      2. Counseling patients
 
MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: 12/11/2012

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.