Home-Based Remedies to Prevent COVID-19-Associated Risk of Infection, Admission, Severe Disease, and Death: A Nested Case-Control Study
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Date
2022
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Publisher
Hindawi
Abstract
Objective. .is study aimed at determining the various types of home-based remedies, mode of administration, prevalence of use,
and their relevance in reducing the risk of infection, hospital admission, severe disease, and death. Methods. .e study design is an
open cohort of all participants who presented for testing for COVID-19 at the Infectious Disease Treatment Centre (Tamale) and
were followed up for a period of six weeks. A nested case-control study was designed. Numerical data were analysed using STATA
version 14, and qualitative data were thematically analysed. Results. A total of 882 participants made up of 358 (40.6%) cases and
524 (59.4%) unmatched controls took part in the study. .e prevalence of usage of home-based remedies to prevent COVID-19
was 29.6% (n = 261). .ese include drinks (34.1% (n = 100)), changes in eating habits/food (33.8% (n =99)), physical exercise
(18.8% (n = 55)), steam inhalation (9.9% (n = 29)), herbal baths (2.7% (n = 8)), and gurgle (0.7 (n = 2)). Participants who practiced
any form of home-based therapy were protected from SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR = 0.28 (0.20–0.39)), severe/critical COVID-19
(OR = 0.15 (0.05–0.48)), hospital admission (OR = 0.15 (0.06–0.38)), and death (OR = 0.31 (0.07–1.38)). Analysis of the various
subgroups of the home-based therapies, however, demonstrated that not all the home-based remedies were effective. Steam
inhalation and herbal baths were associated with 26.6 (95% CI = 6.10–116.24) and 2.7 (95% CI =0.49–14.78) times increased risk of
infection, respectively. However, change in diet (AOR = 0.01 (0.00–0.13)) and physical exercise (AOR = 0.02 (0.00–0.26))
remained significantly associated with a reduced risk of infection. We described results of thematic content analysis regarding the
common ingredients in the drinks, diets, and other home-based methods administered. Conclusion. Almost a third of persons
presenting for COVID-19 test were involved in some form of home-based remedy to prevent COVID-19. Steam inhalation and
herbal baths increased risk of COVID-19 infection, while physical exercise and dietary changes were protective against COVID-19
infection and hospital admission. Future protocols might consider inclusion of physical activity and dietary changes based on
demonstrated health gains.
Description
Research Article