Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Science Communicator Platform

Stay connected! Follow us on X network (Twitter):
Share this content! On (X network) By
Use of Medicinal Plants and Its Association With Health Literacy in the General Population of Iran During the Covid-19 Pandemy: A Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey Publisher



Dabaghian F1 ; Hasanpour M2 ; Maroufizadeh S3 ; Joulani MH4 ; Khanavi M1, 5
Authors
Show Affiliations
Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  2. 2. Department of Psychiatric Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  3. 3. Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Health, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
  4. 4. Faculty of Psychology and Education, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran
  5. 5. Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Source: Research Journal of Pharmacognosy Published:2023


Abstract

Background and objectives: During health crises like COVID-19, people with different health conditions turn to traditional/herbal remedies, which can affect their health status. This study aimed to determine medicinal plant consumption and its association with health literacy during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran. Methods: This web-based cross-sectional study involved 1242 Iranians aged 18 to 65. Data were collected using the Iranian Health Literacy Questionnaire (IHLQ), COVID-19-related variables, and a socio-demographic information questionnaire, analyzed by simple and multiple logistic regression analyses using SPSS 16.0. Results: It was found that 51.4% (n=638) of participants had used medicinal plants and herbal products, with a mean Health Literacy (HL) score of 76.16. Thyme (50.6%), ginger (34.9%), and cinnamon (24.4%) were the most commonly used plants; the most popular methods were infusion (78.3%) and decoction (32.2%). According to the adjusted analysis, the use of medicinal plants was significantly associated with being older (odds ratio (OR)=1.85, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.14-3.00), having contact with suspected/confirmed COVID-19 cases (OR=1.94, 95% CI:1.39-2.71), and having family members, friends, and/or relatives infected with COVID-19 (OR=1.37, 95% CI:1.00-1.88). Also, people who consulted with a physician or pharmacist before using medicinal plants had statistically higher mean HL scores than those who did not (p<0.001), as do those who consider potential interactions with other medications or medicinal plants (p<0.001). Conclusion: Considering that at least half of the people used medicinal plants during the COVID-19 outbreak, providing accurate information by regulatory organizations on medicinal plants, their potential side effects, and interactions, especially during times of crisis, seems to be urgent. © 2023, Iranian Society of Pharmacognosy. All rights reserved.
Related Docs
View other Related Docs
1. Case Fatality Rate of Covid-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene (2021)
2. Critical Complications of Covid-19: A Descriptive Meta-Analysis Study, Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine (2020)
3. Analyzing Trends in Demographic, Laboratory, Imaging, and Clinical Outcomes of Icu-Hospitalized Covid-19 Patients, Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology (2023)
4. Cardiovascular Disease in Covid-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 10,898 Patients and Proposal of a Triage Risk Stratification Tool, Egyptian Heart Journal (2020)
5. A Comprehensive Review on Covid-19 Infection and Comorbidities of Various Organs, Acta Medica Iranica (2021)
6. Recent Findings on the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19); Immunopathogenesis and Immunotherapeutics, International Immunopharmacology (2020)
7. A Review on Currently Available Potential Therapeutic Options for Covid-19, International Journal of General Medicine (2020)
8. The Effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the Elderly: A Systematic Review, Iranian Journal of Ageing (2021)
Experts (# of related papers)
View all Related Experts
Nima Rezaei (18)
Mohammadreza Salehi (8)
Other Related Docs
9. Clinical Characteristics of Fatal Cases of Covid-19 in Tabriz, Iran: An Analysis of 111 Patients, Frontiers in Emergency Medicine (2021)
10. Effect of Cytokines Gene Expression and Serum Level of Vitamin D on the Severity of Covid-19, Iranian Journal of Medical Microbiology (2022)
11. Nutritional Approach for Increasing Public Health During Pandemic of Covid-19: A Comprehensive Review of Antiviral Nutrients and Nutraceuticals, Health Promotion Perspectives (2021)
12. Antiviral Therapy Inmanagement of Covid-19: A Systematic Review on Current Evidence, Archives of Academic Emergency Medicine (2020)
13. Clinical Symptoms and Types of Samples Are Critical Factors for the Molecular Diagnosis of Symptomatic Covid-19 Patients: A Systematic Literature Review, International Journal of Microbiology (2021)
14. Pathogenesis, Clinical Manifestations and Complications of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19), Future Microbiology (2020)
15. Geriatric Challenges in the New Coronavirus Disease-19 (Covid-19) Pandemic: A Systematic Review, Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran (2020)
16. Pregnant Women and Infants Against the Infection Risk of Covid-19: A Review of Prenatal and Postnatal Symptoms, Clinical Diagnosis, Adverse Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes, and Available Treatments, Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics (2022)
17. Prosthetic Heart Valves and the Covid-19 Pandemic Era: What Should We Be Concerned About?, Journal of Cardiac Surgery (2020)
18. Pathological Effects of Sars-Cov-2 on Hematological and Immunological Cells: Alterations in Count, Morphology, and Function, Pathology Research and Practice (2022)
19. Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics of Covid-19 Patients Studied by Jiroft University of Medical Sciences: Southeast of Iran, Journal of Advances in Medical and Biomedical Research (2021)
20. Clinical and Laboratory Findings and Pcr Results in Severe and Non-Severe Covid19 Patients Based on Curb-65 and Who Severity Indices, Virology Journal (2021)
21. Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of 905 Covid-19 Patients Admitted to Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex in the Capital City of Tehran, Iran, Archives of Iranian Medicine (2020)
22. Biomarker Based Biosensors: An Opportunity for Diagnosis of Covid-19, Reviews in Medical Virology (2022)
23. Assessment of the Relationship Between Exposure to Air Pollutants and Covid-19 Pandemic in Tehran City, Iran, Atmospheric Pollution Research (2022)
24. Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Patients With Mild and Severe Covid-19: A Scoping Review and Meta-Analysis, Gastroenterology and Hepatology from Bed to Bench (2020)
25. Sudden Cardiac Death in Covid-19 Patients, a Report of Three Cases, Future Cardiology (2021)
26. Evaluation of the Impact of Rehabilitation Training on the Knowledge and Attitude of Caregivers of Covid-19 Patients in Iran, Acta Medica Iranica (2021)
27. Central Nervous System Manifestations in Covid-19 Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Brain and Behavior (2021)
28. Cardiovascular Diseases Burden in Covid-19: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, American Journal of Emergency Medicine (2021)
29. Cardiovascular Manifestations in Covid-19 Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Journal of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Research (2021)
30. A Comparative Analysis of Clinical Characteristics and Laboratory Findings of Covid-19 Between Intensive Care Unit and Non-Intensive Care Unit Pediatric Patients: A Multicenter, Retrospective, Observational Study From Iranian Network for Research in Viral Diseases (Inrvd), Frontiers in Emergency Medicine (2021)
31. Covid-19 and Multiorgan Failure: A Narrative Review on Potential Mechanisms, Journal of Molecular Histology (2020)
32. Determine the Most Common Clinical Symptoms in Covid-19 Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene (2020)
33. Covid-19: Review of a 21St Century Pandemic From Etiology to Neuro-Psychiatric Implications, Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (2020)
34. Factors Associated With Mortality in Covid-19 Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Iranian Journal of Public Health (2020)
35. Covid-19 Virus May Have Neuroinvasive Potential and Cause Neurological Complications: A Perspective Review, Journal of NeuroVirology (2020)
36. Risk Factors for Adverse Outcomes of Covid-19 Patients: Possible Basis for Diverse Responses to the Novel Coronavirus Sars-Cov-2, Life Sciences (2021)
37. Efficacy and Safety of Arbidol in Treatment of Patients With Covid-19 Infection: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Journal of Iranian Medical Council (2022)
38. Computed Tomography Scan in Covid-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Polish Journal of Radiology (2022)
39. Beneficial Effects of Anti-Oxidative Herbal Medicines in Diabetic Patients Infected With Covid-19: A Hypothesis, Diabetes# Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity (2020)
40. Acute Cardiac Injury in Covid-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Archives of Iranian Medicine (2020)
41. The Situation of Small Molecules Targeting Key Proteins in Combatting Sars-Cov-2: Synthesis, Metabolic Pathway, Mechanism of Action, and Potential Therapeutic Applications, Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry (2022)
42. Artificial Intelligence and Covid-19: Deep Learning Approaches for Diagnosis and Treatment, IEEE Access (2020)
43. Covid-19 and Substance Use Disorders: Recommendations to a Comprehensive Healthcare Response. an International Society of Addiction Medicine Practice and Policy Interest Group Position Paper, Basic and Clinical Neuroscience (2020)
44. The Prognostic Value of Comorbidity for the Severity of Covid-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Study, PLoS ONE (2021)
45. The Importance of Genomic Changes of Sars-Cov-2 and Its Comparison With Iranian-Reported Covid-19 Sequencing; Whether Each Country Has to Design Its Treatment and Vaccine Production, Biomedical and Biotechnology Research Journal (2020)
46. Cancer Care Management During the Covid-19 Pandemic, Risk Management and Healthcare Policy (2020)
47. Factors Associated With Covid-19 Morbidity and Mortality: A Narrative Review, Journal of Iranian Medical Council (2020)
48. Cardiac Complications in Covid-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Archives of Iranian Medicine (2021)
49. Potential of Therapeutic Plasmapheresis in Treatment of Covid-19 Patients: Immunopathogenesis and Coagulopathy, Transfusion and Apheresis Science (2020)
50. Mortality Risk Factors in Patients With Covid-19 Infection: A Case-Control Study in Northeast of Iran, Iranian Journal of Epidemiology (2021)