Evaluation of people's immune and / or vitamin mineral supplements usage habits during the COVID-19 pandemic period

Although there are some drugs used for the treatment of Covid-19 disease, there is no approved standard treatment protocol. In addition, it is known that having a strong immune system reduces mortality from Covid-19 disease. People use various immune and/or vitamin and mineral supplements due to the increasing panic due to the epidemic and to keep their immune systems strong. In this study, it was aimed to examine the habits of people living in Adana province to use immunity and/or vitamin and mineral supplements during the pandemic period. For this reason, an online survey was applied to 394 people and 390 people answered the survey. Questionnaire; the socio-demographic characteristics of the participants, their use of immune and/or vitamin and mineral supplements before and during the pandemic period, the immune and/or vitamin and mineral supplements used, the information sources used in the selection of these supplements, and the evaluation of information about whether they cause side effects or not. Percent of the people who participated in the survey whom they stated that they used immunity or vitamin/mineral supplements before the pandemic period ise 42.3%, and during the pandemic period is 63.6% respectively. It has been determined that women use immune or vitamin/mineral supplements more frequently than men and university graduates who have completed primary and secondary education during the pandemic period. It has been observed that having chronic diseases has no effect on this rate. During the pandemic period, vitamin C and vitamin D were used the most, followed by zinc, grape molasses, black elderberry (Sambucus nigra) and betaglucan, respectively. Sources of information about immunity or vitamin/mineral supplements were determined as pharmacists, physicians, close circle recommendations, researches, and the media, in order of frequency. It is considered as a problem that about half of the participants use immunity or vitamin/mineral supplements on their own without advice from their physician. It should not be forgotten that all drugs, immune or vitamin/mineral supplements must be used with the advice of a physician, and education should be organized for the public on this subject by increasing health literacy in order to prevent inappropriate use of these supplements. Key words: Covid-19 pandemic, vitamin, mineral, questionnaire, immunity