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

Fabricio Ccami-Bernal; Cristhian Rojas-Miliano; David R. Soriano-Moreno; Daniel Fernández-Guzmán; Carlos Quispe-Vicuña; Enrique A. Hernández- Bustamante; Elvira G. Zamora-Huaringa; Wendy Nieto-Gutiérrez

doi:10.17843/rpmesp.2024.411.13265

Authors

Fabricio Ccami-Bernal Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa, Arequipa, Perú https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3172-2113
Cristhian Rojas-Miliano Universidad Nacional del Centro del Perú (UNCP), Huancayo, Perú https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3364-4940
David R. Soriano-Moreno Unidad de Investigación Clínica y Epidemiológica, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Peruana Unión, Lima, Perú https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3690-0014
Daniel Fernández-Guzmán Carrera de Medicina Humana, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Perú https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9441-1067
Carlos Quispe-Vicuña Sociedad Científica San Fernando, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0076-0985
Enrique A. Hernández- Bustamante Sociedad Científica de Estudiantes de Medicina de la Universidad Nacional de Trujillo, Trujillo, Perú. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1974-5200
Elvira G. Zamora-Huaringa Facultad de Medicina Humana, Universidad Ricardo Palma, Lima, Perú https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4208-0582
Wendy Nieto-Gutiérrez Unidad de Investigación para la Generación y Síntesis de Evidencias en Salud, Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Lima, Perú https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8012-1520

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17843/rpmesp.2024.411.13265

Keywords:

COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Medicinal plants, Herbal medicine, Traditional medicine

Abstract

Objective. To determine the factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants as prevention of COVID-19 in the Peruvian population. Materials and methods. We evaluated population over 18 years of age, residents of Peru and without history of COVID-19. Factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants were evaluated using Poisson regression model with robust variances. Results. Of the 3231 participants included, 84.6% were young (18-29 years), 62.7% were women and 59.7% consumed some medicinal plant to prevent COVID-19. 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 higher risk of infection, having used medicines 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 efficacy. Conclusion. Sixty percent of the participants reported
having consumed some medicinal plant to prevent COVID-19. It is important that the authorities apply communication strategies on what the consumption of medicinal plants implies, prioritizing the population groups that have higher consumption patterns.

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