An observational study to assess the role of complementary and alternative medicine in the prophylaxis of covid-19

Abstract

Background: The severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has caused many infections with numerous deaths worldwide. Still, the number of infected cases with deaths is escalating day by day. Alternative medicine (AMs) viz., Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Unani, yoga, Herbal medicine, are being promoted for the prevention of COVID-19. Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM) are gaining rapid acceptance among individuals. Therefore, the aim was to study the pattern of CAM use for prophylaxis of COVID-19. Methods: A survey was conducted amongst 456 individuals to assess the use of various CAM modalities for the prevention of COVID-19. Respondents who gave consent were assessed by a pre-structured questionnaire. Results: Out of 456 respondents enrolled in the study, the use of CAM was almost equal in both males (49.34%) and Females (50.65%). Homeopathy (30.48%) was the most common type of CAM used, and Ayurveda was used by 22.80% of respondents. Social media was used by 44.51%, and Official govt. Web sites were least used (20.61%). The most common reason for using CAM was to buildup immunity (21.05%) . 92.98% and 91.22% of CAM users have shown improvement in overall well-being, and stress reduction respectively, but results were not statistically significant.  Conclusions: High percentage of the participant’s demonstrated awareness towards most of the CAM modalities. They considered using multiple CAM modalities in the prevention of Covid-19 but consultation with qualified CAM health care professionals should be advocated.