Perfil epidemiológico e fatores associados à covid-19 em um município do Espírito Santo / Epidemiological profile and factors associated with covid-19 in a municipality of Espírito Santo

Objetivo: avaliar o perfil e os fatores associados à covid-19 em residentes no município de Alegre, Espírito Santo. Métodos: foi realizado um estudo epidemiológico com delineamento transversal no município de Alegre, por meio de inquérito domiciliar, entre os meses de novembro e dezembro de 2021. A análise descritiva foi realizada por meio de distribuição de frequências para as variáveis categóricas e por mediana e intervalo interquartil para as variáveis contínuas. Os fatores associados foram analisados por regressão de Poisson com variância robusta. Resultados: foram entrevistadas 687 pessoas, das quais 18,8% reportaram ter contraído a covid-19. A infecção foi mais frequente entre mulheres e pessoas mais jovens, especialmente antes da vacinação. A vacina inicial mais usada foi a Coronavac (42,6%), enquanto a dose de reforço foi predominantemente da Pfizer (86,30%). Cerca de um terço das aplicações de vacina resultou em reações adversas, destacando-se febre (56%), dor no corpo (31%) e dor de cabeça (41%). A automedicação foi comum, com 76,9% dos entrevistados utilizando medicamentos para tratar a covid-19, sendo a Azitromicina (26,4%), Ivermectina (24,0%) e Dipirona (10,8%) as mais citadas. Fatores como consultas médicas recentes e automedicação foram associados à ocorrência de covid-19. Conclusão: os resultados deste estudo podem ajudar a conscientizar a população sobre fatores que podem agravar a doença, destacando a importância do reforço nas medidas de prevenção.

Objective: to evaluate the profile and factors associated with covid-19 in residents of the municipality of Alegre through a household survey between the months of November and December 2021. Methods: An epidemiological study with a cross-sectional design was carried out in the city of Alegre in 2021. The descriptive analysis was carried out using frequency distribution for categorical variables and the median and interquartile range for continuous variables. Associated factors were analyzed using Poisson regression with robust variance. Results: 687 people were interviewed, with 18.8% reporting having contracted covid-19. Infection was more common among women and younger people, especially before vaccination. The most used initial vaccine was Coronavac (42.6%), while the booster dose was predominantly from Pfizer (86.30%). Around a third of vaccine applications resulted in adverse reactions, including fever (56%), body pain (31%) and headache (41%). Self-medication was common, with 76.9% of respondents using medications to treat covid-19, with Azithromycin (26.4%), Ivermectin (24.0%), and Dipyrone (10.8%) being the most cited. Factors such as recent medical appointments and self-medication have been associated with the occurrence of covid-19. Conclusion: the results of this study can help raise awareness among the population about factors that can worsen the disease, highlighting the importance of reinforcing prevention measures.

Use of medicinal plants during COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil.

Medicinal plants are an integrative and complementary health practice widely used by the population. However, its use is not without risks. This study assessed the profile and associated factors with the traditional use of medicinal plants. To this end, a cross-sectional survey study was conducted in a southeastern Brazilian city. Descriptive analysis was performed by frequency distribution and median and interquartile range. Associated factors with the use of medicinal plants were analyzed using Poisson regression with robust variance. A total of 641 people were interviewed, of whom 258 (40.2%) reported using medicinal plants. A total of 79 distinct plants were identified, of whom Melissa officinalis (31.0%), Peumus boldus (24.4%), Mentha spicata (20.9%), Matricaria recutita L. (18.2%), Rosmarinus officinalis (17.0%), and Foeniculum vulgare (14.7%) were the most used. There were no reports of medicinal plants used to treat COVID-19. However, anxiety was the most frequently cited indication for using medicinal plants, a health condition exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the use of medicinal plants for treating respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms similar to those in COVID-19 has been identified. There was an association between the use of medicinal plants and females, non-white, lower schooling, higher income, and comorbidities.

Self-Medication during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil: Findings and Implications to Promote the Rational Use of Medicines.

Self-medication is identified by the consumption of medications without a prescription or guidance from a qualified prescribing professional. This study estimated the prevalence, profile, and associated factors with self-medication during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted through a household survey in the Alegre city, from November to December 2021. Descriptive analysis was performed for the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the interviewees. Poisson regression with robust variance was used to identify the association of sociodemographic and clinical variables with self-medication. A total of 654 people were interviewed, of whom 69.4% were self-medicating. The younger age group (PR = 1.13; 95% CI = 1.01-1.26), female gender (PR = 1.19; 95% CI = 1.04-1.37), consumption of alcoholic beverages (PR = 1.13; 95% CI = 1.01-1.25), and problems with adherence to pharmacological treatment (PR = 1.15; 95% CI = 1.04-1.28) were associated with self-medication, while the occurrence of polypharmacy (PR = 0.80; 95% CI = 0.68-0.95) was a protective factor for self-medication. Self-medication was directly related to over-the-counter drugs, with analgesics dipyrone and paracetamol being the most commonly used. Self-medication consumption of prescription drugs, including those under special control, was identified to a lesser extent.