A cross-sectional survey of self-medication with Traditional Chinese Medicine for treatment and prevention of COVID-19
Objective: To investigate user behavioural profiles and the prevalence of self-medication with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for COVID-19 among the general public in China. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Self-administered online survey was carried out between January and June 2021 in C...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Complementary Therapies in Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229922001005 |
| _version_ | 1811178595599515648 |
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| author | Yulan Lin Carla Zi Cai Haridah Alias Li Ping Wong Zhijian Hu |
| author_facet | Yulan Lin Carla Zi Cai Haridah Alias Li Ping Wong Zhijian Hu |
| author_sort | Yulan Lin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: To investigate user behavioural profiles and the prevalence of self-medication with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for COVID-19 among the general public in China. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Self-administered online survey was carried out between January and June 2021 in China. Results: A total of 1132 complete responses were received from a nationwide sample. A considerable proportion viewed TCM to be more effective than Western medicine for treating COVID-19 (67.1 %) and stated that it is safer to use TCM (63.5 %) and easier to access TCM for treating COVID-19 (63.5 %). A total of 16.4 % (95 %CI 14.3–18.7) reported ever self-medicating with TCM to resolve COVID-19 symptoms and 12.2 % (95 % CI 10.3–14.2) ever using TCM to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. Lianhua Qingwen capsule/granule (53.2 %), Ganmao granule (50.5 %) and Banlangen granule (44.6 %) were most commonly used to resolve COVID-19 symptoms whereas Banlangen granule (60.1 %) was commonly used for the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Older age participants, from rural areas, with chronic diseases, higher socioeconomic status, and a positive attitude towards TCM were more likely to self-medicate using TCM to resolve COVID-19 symptoms. Conclusion: Self-medication with TCM during the COVID-19 pandemic for symptom control or prevention is prevalent. The findings of the user behavioural profile and types of TMCs commonly used in this study provide beneficial information for the development of strategies to improve public health-seeking behaviour and the performance of the country’s healthcare system in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T06:21:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c855c0df8d3e40f69ddddf5dbe6a8ba5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0965-2299 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T06:21:05Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Complementary Therapies in Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-c855c0df8d3e40f69ddddf5dbe6a8ba52022-12-22T04:40:34ZengElsevierComplementary Therapies in Medicine0965-22992022-12-0171102898A cross-sectional survey of self-medication with Traditional Chinese Medicine for treatment and prevention of COVID-19Yulan Lin0Carla Zi Cai1Haridah Alias2Li Ping Wong3Zhijian Hu4Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350122, Fujian, ChinaHospital Sultanah Aminah, 80100, Johor Bahru, Johor, MalaysiaCentre for Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Practice, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, MalaysiaDepartment of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350122, Fujian, China; Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Practice, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia; Corresponding author at: Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Practice, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia.Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350122, Fujian, China; Corresponding author.Objective: To investigate user behavioural profiles and the prevalence of self-medication with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for COVID-19 among the general public in China. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Self-administered online survey was carried out between January and June 2021 in China. Results: A total of 1132 complete responses were received from a nationwide sample. A considerable proportion viewed TCM to be more effective than Western medicine for treating COVID-19 (67.1 %) and stated that it is safer to use TCM (63.5 %) and easier to access TCM for treating COVID-19 (63.5 %). A total of 16.4 % (95 %CI 14.3–18.7) reported ever self-medicating with TCM to resolve COVID-19 symptoms and 12.2 % (95 % CI 10.3–14.2) ever using TCM to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. Lianhua Qingwen capsule/granule (53.2 %), Ganmao granule (50.5 %) and Banlangen granule (44.6 %) were most commonly used to resolve COVID-19 symptoms whereas Banlangen granule (60.1 %) was commonly used for the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Older age participants, from rural areas, with chronic diseases, higher socioeconomic status, and a positive attitude towards TCM were more likely to self-medicate using TCM to resolve COVID-19 symptoms. Conclusion: Self-medication with TCM during the COVID-19 pandemic for symptom control or prevention is prevalent. The findings of the user behavioural profile and types of TMCs commonly used in this study provide beneficial information for the development of strategies to improve public health-seeking behaviour and the performance of the country’s healthcare system in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229922001005Traditional Chinese MedicineCOVID-19Preventive behaviourSelf-medication |
| spellingShingle | Yulan Lin Carla Zi Cai Haridah Alias Li Ping Wong Zhijian Hu A cross-sectional survey of self-medication with Traditional Chinese Medicine for treatment and prevention of COVID-19 Complementary Therapies in Medicine Traditional Chinese Medicine COVID-19 Preventive behaviour Self-medication |
| title | A cross-sectional survey of self-medication with Traditional Chinese Medicine for treatment and prevention of COVID-19 |
| title_full | A cross-sectional survey of self-medication with Traditional Chinese Medicine for treatment and prevention of COVID-19 |
| title_fullStr | A cross-sectional survey of self-medication with Traditional Chinese Medicine for treatment and prevention of COVID-19 |
| title_full_unstemmed | A cross-sectional survey of self-medication with Traditional Chinese Medicine for treatment and prevention of COVID-19 |
| title_short | A cross-sectional survey of self-medication with Traditional Chinese Medicine for treatment and prevention of COVID-19 |
| title_sort | cross sectional survey of self medication with traditional chinese medicine for treatment and prevention of covid 19 |
| topic | Traditional Chinese Medicine COVID-19 Preventive behaviour Self-medication |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229922001005 |
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