DETERMINING THE STATUS OF ELDERLY PEOPLE TO USE HERBAL PRODUCTS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

This descriptive study was conducted to determine the status of elderly people to use herbal products during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample group of the study comprised 268 individuals aged 65 years and over who were enrolled at Aşıkpaşa Family Health Center in the downtown of Kırşehir city. The data were collected using the “Data Collection Form” prepared by the researchers upon the relevant literature review. It was determined that 18.3% of the elderly people used herbal products for COVID-19 treatment, 64.6% to protect from COVID-19 and 77.2% for any reason outside COVID-19. The most frequently used herbal products before and during the the COVID-19 pandemic were citrus fruits, garlic, vinegar, mint, linden and rose hip and the frequency of using these herbal products increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The rate of using herbal products was higher in employed elderly people than unemployed counterparts and in those having no problem in access to a health institution than those having a problem (p