Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35844824›Full record

ArticleHealth science reports2022

Perceptions toward the use of over-the-counter dietary supplements during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: A cross sectional study of the general public in Jordan.

Rawand A Khasawneh, Samah F Al-Shatnawi, Hamza Alhamad, Khalid A Kheirallah

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Health science reports, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 21% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Rawand A KhasawnehDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy Jordan University of Science and Technology Irbid Jordan.ORCID 0000-0003-4583-2727
Samah F Al-ShatnawiDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy Jordan University of Science and Technology Irbid Jordan.
Hamza AlhamadDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy Zarqa University Zarqa Jordan.
Khalid A KheirallahDepartment of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine Jordan University of Science and Technology Irbid Jordan.
Jordan University of Science and Technology · JOZarqa University · JO

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background and Aims: Over-the-counter (OTC) dietary supplements gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic as a preventive measure. Lack of complete understanding among the general population of the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying the severity and progression of infection with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has further encouraged the use of supplements. The present study aimed to assess the perceptions of the general public toward the efficacy and safety of the use of OTC dietary supplements as immune enhancers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The factors impacting these perceptions were also explored. Methods: This was an online survey-based, cross-sectional study conducted in Jordan over 4 months. A validated survey which comprised 28 questions covering aspects related to the respondents' demographic characteristics, their perceptions toward the efficacy of OTC dietary supplements and their awareness regarding the safety of popular OTC supplements and healthy dietary habits was used to collect responses. Associations between patient characteristics with perception and awareness were explored. Results: A total of 1487 responses were included in the analysis. Ascorbic acid, zinc, and vitamin D were the most popular OTC supplements, as indicated by the percentages of users (48.8%, 38.6%, and 34.6%, respectively). Perceptions toward OTC supplement use were suboptimal, with a reported mean perception score of 27.82 ± 8.56 (range 0-45). The multivariate analysis showed that participants who were of older age (>65 years) (AOR = 6.29, 95% CI = 2.2-17.9), had an income level >1500 (AOR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.80-3.56), and used chronic medications had better perceptions than did younger participants, those with no income, and non-users of chronic medications, respectively. The mean safety awareness score was 5.36 ± 1.58 (maximum 7), with a significant direct relationship identified between perceptions and safety awareness scores (Spearman's correlation = 0.136, Conclusion: This study highlighted the needs to organize educational campaigns that promote general public perceptions toward the safe use of OTC supplements to enhance immunity during COVID-19.

Indexed as

antioxidantCOVID‐19immunity boostingOTCvitamin czinc

Identifiers

PMID35844824
PMCPMC9273937
OpenAlexW4285028321

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.