Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic Of Iran

en The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Medicinal Plants Consumption Among Iranian Households: Determinants and Consumption Patterns Community Health Community Health Original Research Original Research Background: The coronavirus disease 2019  (COVID-19) pandemic has heightened interest in using medicinal plants (MPs) for disease management. Considering regional, socioeconomic, and demographic differences, this study explores the determinants and consumption patterns of MPs among Iranian households before and after the pandemic.    Methods: This descriptive and analytical study was conducted using survey data from the the Iranian Statistics Center (ISC). from 2018-2019 (prepandemic) and 2020-2021 (postpandemic) to compare MPs consumption. Logistic regression analysis examined the impact of independent variables, and COVID-19 on MPs consumption. The outcome variable was household MPs consumption (yes: 1, no: 0), with explanatory variables including the sex, age, and marital status of the household head, education level, number of educated household members, place of residence (rural/urban), income quintile, and province.    Results: MPs consumption in Iran increased from 15.8% before the COVID-19 pandemic to 18.8% after. After COVID-19, the provinces with the highest MPs consumption were Markazi (43.7%), Guilan (39.2%), and Qom (34.3%). In contrast, the lowest consumption rates were observed in Lorestan (5.6%), Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari (5.6%), and Sistan and Baluchistan (6.1%). Overall, MPs consumption increased across all provinces and socioeconomic groups after the pandemic.  Households led by women were more likely to consume MPs, with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 1.280 (95% CI, 1.083-1.516, P = 0.010). Similarly, married heads had a higher likelihood of MPs consumption (aOR, 1.630 [95% CI, 1.161-2.297]; P = 0.010). Households with more educated members also showed increased odds (aOR, 1.380 [95% CI, 1.163-1.629]; P < 0.001). Rural residents had lower odds compared to urban residents (aOR, 0.830 [95% CI, 0.781-0.876]; P < 0.001). Higher-income quintiles were associated with increased MPs consumption, particularly in the fifth quintile (aOR, 1.800 [95% CI, 1.592-2.025]; P < 0.001). Additionally, COVID-19 significantly raised MPs consumption compared to prepandemic levels (aOR, 1.290 [95% CI, 1.212-1.367]; P < 0.001).    Conclusion: MPs consumption in Iranian households increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, but these increases were not uniform across all socioeconomic and demographic groups. Health policymakers must address the quality, safety, and efficacy of MPs, their interactions with conventional pharmaceutical treatments, and the potential economic consequences associated with increased utilization.   Epidemic, COVID-19, Medicinal Plants, Household, Iran 203 211 http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-2761-15&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Ali Kazemi-Karyani alikazemi.k20@gmail.com 200319475328460089176 200319475328460089176 No Social Development and Health Promotion Research Center, Health Policy and Promotion Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran Jafar Yahyavi Dizaj yahyavijafar1399@gmail.com 200319475328460089177 200319475328460089177 No Social Development and Health Promotion Research Center, Health Policy and Promotion Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran Satar Rezaei satarrezaei@gmail.com 200319475328460089178 200319475328460089178 No Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran Kamran Irandoust kamran.ir74@gmail.com 200319475328460089179 200319475328460089179 No Department of Health Economics, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Moslem Soofi moslemsoofi@yahoo.com 200319475328460089180 200319475328460089180 No Social Development and Health Promotion Research Center, Health Policy and Promotion Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran Ali Akbar Fazaeli afazaeli83@gmail.com 200319475328460089181 200319475328460089181 No Department of Health Management, Policy & Economics, School of public health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Sajad Darzi Ramandi sajadramandi@yahoo.com 200319475328460089182 200319475328460089182 No Department of Health Management, Policy & Economics, School of public health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Shahin Soltani shahin.soltani@kums.ac.ir 200319475328460089183 200319475328460089183 Yes Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran