Altern Ther Health Med. 2025 Dec 16:AT11612. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak caused physical, psychological, and social problems all over the world, especially in individuals with chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus. People have sought complementary and alternative medicine methods to prevent this disease or treat its symptoms.
PRIMARY STUDY OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the use of complementary and alternative medicine practices among diabetes patients during the pandemic.
METHODS/DESIGN: The study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive design. The study sample comprised patients diagnosed with diabetes who were treated at a state hospital in southern Turkey from September 2022 to October 2023. Data were collected using a questionnaire (containing three sections) form prepared by the researcher in line with the literature.
SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Patients with diabetes mellitus, aged over 18 years, were included in the study. A total of 300 patients completed a demographic information questionnaire and a questionnaire regarding complementary and alternative medicine use. The data obtained from the study were analyzed using descriptive tests and the SPSS 22 package program.
RESULTS: The findings revealed that 75.3% of participants were knowledgeable about complementary and alternative medicine methods, and 94.7% reported using them during the pandemic. The commonly preferred practices included drinking herbal tea (68.0%), consuming a variety of vegetables and fruits (54.3%), using probiotic products (37%), taking vitamin and nutritional supplements (23%), and engaging in prayer (65.7%). Hygiene practices mainly included using hand sanitizer and cleaning household surfaces with bleach.
CONCLUSION: The study's findings suggest that diabetes patients widely utilized nutritional supplements, medicinal plants, and personal hygiene products during the Coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak. Towards this end, healthcare professionals must educate patients on the correct and effective use of complementary and alternative medicine methods and hygiene products to ensure their safety and well-being.
KEYWORDS: coronavirus disease 2019, diabetes mellitus, complementary and alternative medicine, nursing, prevention.
PMID:41411141