Prevalence and predictive factors of complementary medicine use during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 in the Netherlands.
BMC Complement Med Ther
; 22(1): 43, 2022 Feb 15.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1759738
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Major life changing events such as the COVID-19 pandemic may have major impact on one's health and general well-being. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and predictive factors, including gender specific differences, of Complementary Medicine (CM) use (including CM consultations, self-care management and self-help techniques) during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 in the Netherlands.METHODS:
CM use was studied among a random representative sample (n = 1004) of the adult Dutch population using an online survey conducted from 22-27 May 2020. The survey included a modified version of I-CAM-Q and additional questions on demographic characteristics, reasons for CM use, perceived effectiveness and side effects.RESULTS:
68.0% of the participants reported to have used CM (CM consultations (13.3%), self-management strategies (59.4%), self-help techniques (30.0%)). Most frequently reported reason of CM use was to improve general well-being (61.6%), prevention and/or treatment of COVID-19 was only reported by 10%. Perceived effectiveness of CM was high and number of experienced side effects low. Being a women, worried to get infected with COVID-19, higher education and living in northern/ middle region of the Netherlands were predictive factors to use CM.CONCLUSIONS:
In the Netherlands, specific groups (e.g. women/ highly educated) use CM, mainly to improve general wellbeing, and seem to benefit of it during the first months of the pandemic. The high perceived effectiveness and low reporting of side effects should encourage medical professionals and policy makers for more openness towards considering CM as being part of an integrative approach to public health in times life changing events occur.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Complementary Therapies
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Topics:
Traditional medicine
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
English
Journal:
BMC Complement Med Ther
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
S12906-022-03528-x
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