Consumption of Apitherapy Products by Late Adolescents Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional and Comparative Descriptive Study

Background: Apitherapy has emerged as both a conventional and alternative treatment effective against COVID-19-related symptoms. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the types, frequency, and amount of apitherapy products that late adolescents use before and during the pandemic. Methods: The study employed a cross‐sectional, descriptive, and comparative design. Using stratified random sampling, 3307 late adolescents aged 17 - 21 were included. Data were collected through a questionnaire on demographic characteristics and apitherapy products. Descriptive statistics and paired sample t-tests were used for data analysis, with effect size calculated using Cohen’s d method. Results: Half of the participants (n = 1595, 48.2%) had never heard of “apitherapy” before, while those who had heard mentioned honey (35.6%), pollen (25.5%), propolis (14.9%), royal jelly (11.3%), bee venom (8.4%), and bee bread (4.3%). They reported using these products to “boost their immune systems”, “prevent respiratory infections/reduce cough”, and “reduce nausea and vomiting”. Late adolescents consumed significantly more honey (t = -15.683, P 0.001, effect size = 0.35), pollen (t = -11.111, P 0.001; effect size = 0.44), and propolis (t = -15.302, P 0.001, effect size = 0.45) during the pandemic than before. They primarily examined labels before purchasing (36.4%) and believed that products approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry should be purchased (63.3%). Conclusions: This study underscores the popularity of apitherapy among late adolescents. Further surveys are recommended to better understand young people s apitherapy habits and provide valuable data for healthcare practitioners combating the pandemic.