Table 2.

Characteristics of SM during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Descriptors			p-Values
Variables	Categories	n, %	Age	Gender	Marital Status	Area of Residence	Medical Health Professional	Tested for COVID 19
Did you practice SM?	Yes	158 (34.3)	0.042	0.212	0.52	0.194	0.046	<0.001
	No	302 (65.7)
Types of medicines used	Allopathic	71 (15.4)	N/A	0.892	N/A	<0.001	0.05	<0.001
	Herbal	104 (22.6)
	Both	69 (15.0)
	None	216 (47.0)
Did you use POM during SM?	Yes	99 (21.5)	0.072	0.344	0.004	0.002	0.001	<0.001
	No	361 (78.5)
Sources of medicines	From a prescription for a family member	48 (9.5)	N/A	0.798	0.255	0.147	0.294	0.02
	From a prescription for a friend	39 (7.7)	N/A	0.186	0.356	0.956	0.939	<0.001
	Requested directly from pharmacy	127 (25.0)	0.725	0.744	0.829	0.054	0.11	0.004
	Drugs from family members	53 (10.5)	N/A	0.248	0.219	0.593	0.034	0.235
	Drugs from friends	18 (3.5)	N/A	0.093	0.803	0.816	0.842	0.1
	Other	222 (43.8)	0.186	0.748	0.053	0.001	0.373	<0.001
Were you aware of the possible side effects of the SM drugs?	Yes	304 (65.9)	0.899	0.57	0.005	0.306	<0.001	0.004
	No	156 (34.1)
Did you receive information regarding the possible side effects of the SM drugs?	No	104 (22.6)	N/A	<0.001	0.049	<0.001	<0.001	0.001
	Yes, from a physician	60 (13)
	Yes, from a family member	100 (21.7)
	Yes, from a colleague	23 (5.0)
	Yes, from the internet	62 (13.5)
	Yes, from other sources	111 (24.2)
Have you felt improvement in your symptoms due to above mentioned medicines/substances?	Yes	284 (61.7)	0.021	0.456	0.027	0.738	<0.001	0.036
	No	176 (38.3)
Have you felt improvement in your symptoms due to above mentioned medicines/substances?	Yes	259 (56.3)	0.04	0.022	0.41	0.019	<0.001	0.006
	No	201 (43.7)
Does pharmacist demand for a prescription when you visit to buy medicines?	Yes	259 (56.3)	0.04	0.022	0.41	0.019	<0.001	0.006
	No	201 (43.7)

p values ≤ 0.05 were presented in boldface; POM: prescription-only medicine.