Consumption of Herbal Supplements or Homeopathic Remedies to Prevent COVID-19 and Intention of Vaccination for COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean

Attitude, knowledge, and barriers of Chinese clinical and nursing students in implementing complementary and alternative medicine for COVID-19：a cross-sectional study

Background

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has emerged to combat the global COVID-19 pandemic. However, no studies have been conducted to evaluate the attitudes, knowledge, and barriers of Chinese clinical and nursing students in implementing CAM during this period.

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the attitude, knowledge, and barriers of Chinese clinical and nursing students in using CAM in the context of COVID-19.

Methods

An online-based cross-sectional survey was carried out among Chinese medical students, majoring in clinical medicine or nursing, in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, and Zhengzhou, Henan Province from May to July 2022. A total of 402 clinical and 644 nursing students responded to a self-administered questionnaire through the Questionnaire Star and WeChat APPs. SPSS 25 (version 25) was used for data analysis. Proportions were compared by Chi-square test. Level of significance between groups was analyzed using independent student t-test and Mann-Whitney U test.

Results

The average score of attitude was 46.63 (SD: 7.38) in clinical students and 49.84 (SD: 6.76) in nursing students. The top four most commonly used CAM treatments in China were proprietary Chinese medicine, diet therapy, decoction, and acupuncture and moxibustion (59.66 %, 22.28 %, 11.66 %, 9.85 %). The students had a good mastery of knowledge about CAM-based prevention and control of COVID-19 (mean score 7.36). The score of CAM knowledge in nursing students was significantly higher than that in clinical students (7.56 VS 7.04, P = 0.000). Gender, grade, previous use, age, and knowledge score could affect students' attitude towards CAM. The main barriers in spreading CAM use included time-consumption, bad taste, and fear of treatment-related pain (24.5 %). Compared with clinical students, nursing students were more likely to recommend CAM to patients in the future (P = 0.002).

Conclusions

During the COVID-19 pandemic, nursing students were more positive towards CAM use, had a better mastery of CAM knowledge than clinical students. CAM is expected to provide better outcomes in COVID-19 patients. Future studies should focus on the changes in students' attitudes over time and exploration of influencing factors on CAM use.

Factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants for the prevention of COVID-19 in peruvian population: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES.

Motivation for the study. No study conclusively recommends the use of medicinal plants to treat COVID-19 symptoms, and their indiscriminate use may present health risks. Main findings. Sixty percent of participants consumed medicinal plants to prevent COVID-19. This was particularly true for those living in the Peruvian highlands and individuals with family members diagnosed or deceased from COVID-19, who perceive a higher risk of infection and use medications or chlorine dioxide as preventive measures. Implications. Communication strategies emphasizing validated preventive practices and educating about the risks of consuming medicinal plants should be tailored to the predominant characteristics of the consumer. Determine the factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants as a preventive measure against COVID-19 in the Peruvian population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS.

A population over 18 years of age, living in Peru and without a history of COVID-19 disease, was evaluated. The factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants were evaluated using a Poisson regression model with robust variances.

RESULTS.

Of the 3231 participants included, 84.6% were young adults (18-29 years old), 62.7% were women, and 59.7% consumed a medicinal plant to prevent COVID-19 infection. The factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants to prevent COVID-19 infection were residing in the Peruvian highlands, having had a family member diagnosed with COVID-19, having had a family member die from COVID-19, considering their family to be at increased risk of infection, having used medications or chlorine dioxide to prevent COVID-19, having medical information as the main source of information about COVID-19, thinking that medicinal plants are effective in preventing COVID-19 disease, or not being informed about their effectiveness.

CONCLUSION.

Sixty percent of the participants reported having consumed a medicinal plant to prevent COVID-19. Authorities must apply communication strategies about the implications of consuming medicinal plants, prioritizing population groups with higher consumption patterns.

Dietary Supplement Consumption and Mental Health in Indonesian Adults During Second Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose

This study aimed to measure supplement consumption behavior and mental health status among Indonesian adults during the second year of COVID-19.

Participants and Methods

Online questionnaire regarding supplement consumption, and Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21) was distributed from March to June 2021 and obtained 1006 valid and completed questionnaires. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted to determine the frequency and predictor factors of the respondents' supplement consumption behavior and mental health status.

Results

Respondents were divided into two groups, vulnerable and non-vulnerable individuals. The finding showed that 34.5% respondents were vulnerable individuals, including the elderly and those with comorbid disease(s). The vulnerable and non-vulnerable groups exhibited a high prevalence of supplement consumption, with the vulnerable group demonstrating a greater tendency for regular use. The incidence of mental health problems in both groups did not significantly differ (23-38%), where anxiety was higher than depression and stress. Supplement consumption was associated with mental health status. Several positive predicting factors for supplement consumption behavior included older age, higher economic status, and higher education. While the younger age and unmarried respondents were more likely to develop mental health problems.

Conclusion

Taken together, given dietary supplement consumption increased during the pandemic and the potential associations between supplement consumption and mental health, controlling the correct information and regulation regarding supplements, especially their risks and benefits, was important. Additionally, support for mental health issues was necessary, since it might affect self-medication behavior.

Herbal Supplements as Treatment Options for COVID-19: A call for Clinical Development of Herbal Supplements for Emerging and Re-Emerging Viral Threats in Sub-Saharan Africa

The advent of Corona virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) distorted health systems of many countries. Efforts have been made to either develop new treatment solutions such as vaccines or repurpose previously adopted drugs. Challenges in accessing available treatment, inadequate, non-existent, or overstretched healthcare facilities, long COVID disease, cultural practices and beliefs about vaccination, vaccine hesitancy, availability, accessibility and perceived safety of herbal supplements seem to be major factors propelling individuals to use herbal supplements. Published reports advocating for clinical development of herbal supplements for COVID-19 and other emerging and re-emerging viral diseases are sparse. This paper aims to review the pathogenesis of COVID-19, use of herbal products during the pandemic and make case for clinical development of herbal supplements through the adoption of modern and acceptable technologies and research processes.

This was a scoping review. Database searches of Google Scholar, PubMed and ResearchGate among others were performed using related keywords to identify relevant journals and lists of primary articles. Clinical trial databases:-Clinicaltrial.gov, Pan African Clinical Trial Registry (PACTR) and WHO international clinical trial registry (ICTRP) were reviewed to extract data.

The use of herbal supplements during COVID-19 was not only peculiar to individuals living in Sub-Saharan Africa, but a global practice. Herbal supplements recommended to manage COVID-19 have not been validated using clinical trials. Available data showed that the number of herbal supplements undergoing clinical trial for COVID-19 indication in Africa was low.

The availability of medicinal plants in Sub-Saharan Africa if well explored has great potentials to address various emerging and re-emerging viral diseases confronting the region. The economic potential of clinically validated herbal supplements are huge, and tapping into this opportunity created by preference of population to herbal supplement could increase export of herbal supplement and gross domestic product (GDP) of respective countries in Africa.

Susceptibility to COVID-19 Nutrition Misinformation and Eating Behavior Change during Lockdowns: An International Web-Based Survey

To understand the susceptibility to nutrition-health misinformation related to preventing, treating, or mitigating the risk of COVID-19 during the initial lockdowns around the world, the present international web-based survey study (15 April-15 May 2020) gauged participants' (n = 3707) level of nutrition-health misinformation discernment by presenting them with 25 statements (including unfounded or unproven claims circulated at the time), alongside the influence of information sources of varying quality on the frequency of changes in their eating behavior and the extent of misinformation held, depending on the source used for such changes. Results revealed widespread misinformation about food, eating, and health practices related to COVID-19, with the 25 statements put to participants receiving up to 43% misinformed answers (e.g., 'It is safe to eat fruits and vegetables that have been washed with soap or diluted bleach'). Whereas higher quality information sources (nutrition scientists, nutrition professionals) had the biggest influence on eating behavior change, we found greater misinformation susceptibility when relying on poor quality sources for changing diet. Appropriate discernment of misinformation was weakest amongst participants who more frequently changed their eating behavior because of information from poor quality sources, suggesting disparities in the health risks/safety of the changes performed.