Traditional And Complementary Therapies Used In The Covid-19 Pandemic In Turkey: A Cross-Sectional Research

Abstract

Introduction:Traditional and Complementary Medicine interventions can be used for reasons such as strengthening the immune system, preventing diseases and controlling the disease. It was aimed to determine the herbs and supplements that individuals use to prevent COVID-19 infection, strengthen immunity or alleviate symptoms. Materials and Methods:This descriptive study was carried out with 836 individuals by using an online survey with the virtual snowball sampling method between December 2021 and March 2022. "Sociodemographic Questionnaire" and "The usage of Traditional and Complementary Treatment Practices in the COVID-19 Pandemic" were used to collect the data. The data were collected by sending the online link prepared using "Google Forms" via e-mail or WhatsApp. Mean, standard deviation, percentage and chi-square analysis were used to evaluate the data. Results:The individuals' mean age was 37.73±12.106 and 76.9% were women. It was determined that 68.9% had knowledge about Traditional and Complementary Medicine, 17.3% used vitamin C, 15.0% ginger, 13.9% had a fruit and vegetable diet, 7.1% were walking to protect themselves from COVID-19 during the pandemic; 3.5% started using thyme, 3.3% ginger, 4.2% vitamin C, 4.2% zinc, and 2.6% received intravenous vitamins and supplements after they became COVID-19.There was a statistically significant difference between the knowledge of the individuals about Traditional and complementary medicine and their individual characteristics (gender, education level, having a chronical disease, and having elderly/chronically ill person/persons at home) (p< 0.05). Conclusion:In our study, the individuals in the community used various Traditional and Complementary Medicine methods during the COVID-19 pandemic and most of them had knowledge about these methods. In order to ensure the appropriate use of Traditional and complementary medicine in Turkey, accurate information and planned training programs are recommended.