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Factors associated with drug consumption without scientific evidence in patients with mild coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in Peru
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  • David Soriano-Moreno,
  • Daniel Fernandez-Guzman,
  • Lucero Sangster-Carrasco,
  • Carlos Quispe-Vicuña,
  • Pamela Grados-Espinoza,
  • Fabricio Ccami-Bernal,
  • Noelia Morocho-Alburqueque,
  • Naomi Coba-Villan,
  • Randy Velasquez-Fernandez,
  • Wendy Nieto-Gutiérrez
David Soriano-Moreno
Universidad Peruana Union
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Daniel Fernandez-Guzman
Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco Facultad de Medicina Humana
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Lucero Sangster-Carrasco
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Carlos Quispe-Vicuña
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Pamela Grados-Espinoza
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Fabricio Ccami-Bernal
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Noelia Morocho-Alburqueque
Universidad Nacional de Piura
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Naomi Coba-Villan
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Randy Velasquez-Fernandez
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Wendy Nieto-Gutiérrez
Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the factors associated with the consumption of drugs without scientific evidence in patients with mild COVID-19 infection in Peru. Methods: Analytical cross-sectional study in a Peruvian population. Patients older than 18 years of age and with a history of mild COVID-19 disease were included. Factors associated with drug consumption were evaluated by Poisson regressions with robust variance adjustment using the bootstrapping resampling method. Results: Of 372 included participants with history of COVID-19 (75% young, 60% female), 72% consumed some medication without scientific evidence, with antibiotics (71%) and ivermectin for human use (68%) being the most commonly used. Factors associated with the consumption of drugs to treat mild COVID-19 infection were thinking that the drugs are not effective (PRa:0.55; 95% CI:0.41-0.74) and not being informed about the efficacy of the drugs (PRa:0.48; 95% CI:0.36-0.65). When evaluating the consumption of the most commonly used drugs, thinking that they are not effective and not being informed about their efficacy were associated with lower consumption of both antibiotics and ivermectin. Likewise, belonging to the lower social class and residing in the jungle region were associated with higher consumption of antibiotics and ivermectin, respectively. Conclusion: More than 70% of the participants reported some consumption of medications to treat mild COVID-19 infection, with antibiotics and ivermectin being the most commonly used. Thinking that medications are ineffective and being uninformed on the subject were associated with lower medication consumption.