Knowledge about COVID-19 and beliefs about and use of herbal products during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study in Saudi Arabia
Autor
Alyami, Hamad S.
Orabi, Mohamed A. A.
Aldhabbah, Fahad M.
Alturki, Hamad N.
Aburas, Wejdan I.
Alfayez, Abdulrahman I.
Alharbi, Abdullah S.
Almasuood, Rawan A.
Alsuhaibani, Njood A.
Institución
Resumen
The lack of treatment options for COVID-19 has raised many concerns among populations
worldwide, which has led to many attempts to find alternative options to prevent the
transmission of the disease or to alleviate the progression of the infection, including focusing
more on preventive measures (to prevent transmission to other individuals) and the use of
natural products and herbal extracts to increase immunity and decrease the probability of
getting infected. This study explored the knowledge of the population of the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia (KSA) about COVID-19 preventive measures and their belief about the consumption
of herbal products for the prevention of COVID-19 infection. A total of 5,258 individuals
participated in this study. Participants’ knowledge about the appropriate COVID-19 preventive
measures in terms of handwashing procedures, self-quarantine and social distancing was
moderate, with a mean score of 5.5 (SD: 1.7) out of 10 (representing around 55.0% of the total
score). About 22.1% (n= 1,161) of the participants reported that they have used herbal products
or nutritional supplements during the pandemic period, to protect themselves from the disease.
Social media and the Internet (39.4%, n= 372) were the main motivators for the participants to
try herbal products. Vitamin C was the most commonly used food supplement to increase
immunity and reduces the chance of contracting COVID-19. Our study demonstrated that the
general population in Saudi Arabia has a moderate level of knowledge about COVID-19
transmission and preventive measures. A considerable proportion of the population reported
the use of herbal products or food supplements in order to protect themselves from the disease.
Policymakers are suggested to provide further educational campaigns that increase population
knowledge about the disease transmission routes and preventive measures. In addition, the use
of herbal products should be evidence-based to ensure patient safety.