Traditional Chinese medicine for the COVID-19 pandemic: An online cross-sectional survey among health care workers

Xinyan Jin; Leqin Xu; Chunli Lu; Xue Xue; Xuehan Liu; Yuzhen Zhou; Xiaoyang Hu; Jianping Liu; Xiaohua Pei

doi:10.1016/j.eujim.2023.102273

Traditional Chinese medicine for the COVID-19 pandemic: An online cross-sectional survey among health care workers

Eur J Integr Med. 2023 Jun 27:102273. doi: 10.1016/j.eujim.2023.102273. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Xinyan Jin^{1

2}, Leqin Xu², Chunli Lu^{1

3}, Xue Xue⁴, Xuehan Liu¹, Yuzhen Zhou², Xiaoyang Hu⁵, Jianping Liu¹, Xiaohua Pei²

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Evidence-based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, China.
² Xiamen Hospital Affiliated of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Xiamen, 361001, China.
³ Institute of Chinese medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
⁴ The First Clinical Medical School, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, 430074, Wuhan, China.
⁵ School of Primary Care, Population Sciences and Medical Education, Aldermoor Health Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom.

Abstract

Background: : During the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, health care workers (HCWs) have faced a heightened risk of infection. Preventative measures are critical to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and protect HCWs. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been recommended to prevent and treat COVID-19 in China. We conducted this survey to investigate the use of infection control behaviors, preventative and therapeutic interventions, and outcomes among HCWs during the surge of Omicron variant infections to explore the association of preventative measures with outcomes and to investigate the factors influencing the adoption of TCM as a preventative measure.

Methods: : The questionnaire consisted of 23 sections with 154 questions intended for HCWs. The targeted respondents comprised all HCWs from Xiamen Hospital Affiliated of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. The recruitment process was open between March 17 and June 1, 2022. Chi-square test was used to estimate the relationship between prevention and outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate factors influencing the use of TCM as a preventative measure.

Results: : Among the 1122 participants who completed the questionnaire, 79.71% took preventative measures, including TCM (56.21%), physical activities (52.37%) and food supplements (26.99%). Xiamen preventative formula (a government-approved fixed prescription) (45.22%) and Lianhua Qingwen preparations (18.95%) were the most commonly used Chinese medicines. Thirty-six participants reported flu-like symptoms and three were diagnosed with COVID-19. Flu-like symptoms were not associated with prevention, vaccination, or TCM. Frontline working experience (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.46-0.80), good knowledge of post-COVID-19 syndrome (OR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.39-0.84), Western medicine qualifications (OR = 2.41, 95% CI: 1.51-3.86), nurses (OR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.21-2.40), and medical technicians (OR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.25-4.10) were associated with the willingness of using TCM as a preventative measure.

Conclusion: : Complementary medicine, especially TCM, could be used for COVID-19 prevention. Knowledge of COVID-19 may prompt people to use TCM to prevent COVID-19. Multicenter studies and prospective cohort follow-up studies are needed to provide further insights into the use of TCM for COVID-19 management.

Keywords: Chinese herbs; Omicron variant; complementary therapy; healthcare personnel; non-pharmacological intervention; retrospective treatment outcome.