Traditional Chinese medicine for COVID-19 pandemic and emerging challenges: An online cross-sectional survey in China

Background: We aimed to investigate use of infection control behaviours, preventative and therapeutic interventions, and outcomes among respondents to an online survey during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Methods: The survey was designed by an international team, translated and adapted to simplifi...

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Main Authors: Chun-Li Lu, Ruo-Xiang Zheng, Xue Xue, Xiao-Wen Zhang, Xue-Han Liu, Xin-Yan Jin, Feng-Lan Pu, Hui-Di Lan, Min Fang, Ling-Yao Kong, Merlin Willcox, Bertrand Graz, Joelle Houriet, Xiao-Yang Hu, Jian-Ping Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2021-01-01
Series:Integrative Medicine Research
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422021000858
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author Chun-Li Lu
Ruo-Xiang Zheng
Xue Xue
Xiao-Wen Zhang
Xue-Han Liu
Xin-Yan Jin
Feng-Lan Pu
Hui-Di Lan
Min Fang
Ling-Yao Kong
Merlin Willcox
Bertrand Graz
Joelle Houriet
Xiao-Yang Hu
Jian-Ping Liu
author_facet Chun-Li Lu
Ruo-Xiang Zheng
Xue Xue
Xiao-Wen Zhang
Xue-Han Liu
Xin-Yan Jin
Feng-Lan Pu
Hui-Di Lan
Min Fang
Ling-Yao Kong
Merlin Willcox
Bertrand Graz
Joelle Houriet
Xiao-Yang Hu
Jian-Ping Liu
author_sort Chun-Li Lu
collection DOAJ
description Background: We aimed to investigate use of infection control behaviours, preventative and therapeutic interventions, and outcomes among respondents to an online survey during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Methods: The survey was designed by an international team, translated and adapted to simplified Chinese, including 132 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) preparation recommended by guidelines. It was distributed and collected from February to May 2021, with data analysed by WPS spreadsheet and wjx.cn. Descriptive statistics were used to describe demographics and clinical characteristics, diagnosis, treatments, preventative behaviours and interventions, and their associated outcomes. Results: The survey was accessed 503 times with 341 (67.8%) completions covering 23 provinces and four municipalities in China. Most (282/341, 82.7%) respondents reported no symptoms during the pandemic and the majority (290/341, 85.0%) reported having a SARS-CoV-2 PCR test at some point. Forty-five (13.2%) reported having a respiratory infection, among which 19 (42.2%) took one or more categories of modern medicine, e.g. painkillers, antibiotics; 16 (35.6%) used TCM interventions(s); while seven respondents combined TCM with modern medicine. All respondents reported using at least one behavioural or medical approach to prevention, with 22.3% taking TCM and 5.3% taking modern medicines. No respondents reported having a critical condition related to COVID-19. Conclusion: We found evidence of widespread use of infection control behaviours, modern medicines and TCM for treatment and prevention of COVID-19 and other respiratory symptoms. Larger scale studies are warranted, including a more representative sample exploring TCM preparations recommended in clinical guidelines.
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spelling doaj-art-5d0c943208ff4fbfaf8e20d6eb6457f32025-08-20T03:10:03ZengElsevierIntegrative Medicine Research2213-42202021-01-011010079810.1016/j.imr.2021.100798Traditional Chinese medicine for COVID-19 pandemic and emerging challenges: An online cross-sectional survey in ChinaChun-Li Lu0Ruo-Xiang Zheng1Xue Xue2Xiao-Wen Zhang3Xue-Han Liu4Xin-Yan Jin5Feng-Lan Pu6Hui-Di Lan7Min Fang8Ling-Yao Kong9Merlin Willcox10Bertrand Graz11Joelle Houriet12Xiao-Yang Hu13Jian-Ping Liu14Centre for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, ChinaCentre for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, ChinaCentre for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China; First Clinical College and affiliated hospital, Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China; Department of Nephrology, Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, ChinaCentre for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, ChinaCentre for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, ChinaCentre for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, ChinaCentre for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, ChinaCentre for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China; Ruikang Hospital Affiliated to Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, ChinaCentre for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, ChinaCentre for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, ChinaPrimary care, Population Science and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United KingdomAntenna Foundation, Geneva, SwitzerlandAntenna Foundation, Geneva, SwitzerlandCentre for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China; Ruikang Hospital Affiliated to Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, China; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Research Design Service South Central, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, United Kingdom; Corresponding authors at: Primary care Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, SO16 5ST, United Kingdom (X.-Y. Hu); Centre for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China (J.-P. Liu).Centre for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China; Corresponding authors at: Primary care Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, SO16 5ST, United Kingdom (X.-Y. Hu); Centre for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China (J.-P. Liu).Background: We aimed to investigate use of infection control behaviours, preventative and therapeutic interventions, and outcomes among respondents to an online survey during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Methods: The survey was designed by an international team, translated and adapted to simplified Chinese, including 132 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) preparation recommended by guidelines. It was distributed and collected from February to May 2021, with data analysed by WPS spreadsheet and wjx.cn. Descriptive statistics were used to describe demographics and clinical characteristics, diagnosis, treatments, preventative behaviours and interventions, and their associated outcomes. Results: The survey was accessed 503 times with 341 (67.8%) completions covering 23 provinces and four municipalities in China. Most (282/341, 82.7%) respondents reported no symptoms during the pandemic and the majority (290/341, 85.0%) reported having a SARS-CoV-2 PCR test at some point. Forty-five (13.2%) reported having a respiratory infection, among which 19 (42.2%) took one or more categories of modern medicine, e.g. painkillers, antibiotics; 16 (35.6%) used TCM interventions(s); while seven respondents combined TCM with modern medicine. All respondents reported using at least one behavioural or medical approach to prevention, with 22.3% taking TCM and 5.3% taking modern medicines. No respondents reported having a critical condition related to COVID-19. Conclusion: We found evidence of widespread use of infection control behaviours, modern medicines and TCM for treatment and prevention of COVID-19 and other respiratory symptoms. Larger scale studies are warranted, including a more representative sample exploring TCM preparations recommended in clinical guidelines.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422021000858COVID-19Traditional Chinese medicineMental healthRespiratory symptomsOnline survey
spellingShingle Chun-Li Lu
Ruo-Xiang Zheng
Xue Xue
Xiao-Wen Zhang
Xue-Han Liu
Xin-Yan Jin
Feng-Lan Pu
Hui-Di Lan
Min Fang
Ling-Yao Kong
Merlin Willcox
Bertrand Graz
Joelle Houriet
Xiao-Yang Hu
Jian-Ping Liu
Traditional Chinese medicine for COVID-19 pandemic and emerging challenges: An online cross-sectional survey in China
Integrative Medicine Research
COVID-19
Traditional Chinese medicine
Mental health
Respiratory symptoms
Online survey
title Traditional Chinese medicine for COVID-19 pandemic and emerging challenges: An online cross-sectional survey in China
title_full Traditional Chinese medicine for COVID-19 pandemic and emerging challenges: An online cross-sectional survey in China
title_fullStr Traditional Chinese medicine for COVID-19 pandemic and emerging challenges: An online cross-sectional survey in China
title_full_unstemmed Traditional Chinese medicine for COVID-19 pandemic and emerging challenges: An online cross-sectional survey in China
title_short Traditional Chinese medicine for COVID-19 pandemic and emerging challenges: An online cross-sectional survey in China
title_sort traditional chinese medicine for covid 19 pandemic and emerging challenges an online cross sectional survey in china
topic COVID-19
Traditional Chinese medicine
Mental health
Respiratory symptoms
Online survey
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422021000858
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