Treatment Seeking Behavior for COVID-19 Symptoms and Its Related Factors Among Northern Iranian Population: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract Background: This study was conducted to investigate the treatment seeking behavior for COVID-19 symptoms among northern Iranian population and its related factors.Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the treatment seeking behavior for COVID-19 symptoms and its related factors in 602 confirmed COVID-19 cases for a period of 2 months between March and May 2020 in Guilan at the onset of the corona epidemic in Iran. Results: Professional treatment-seeking was observed in 18.6% of patients and most of patient reported home remedies (50.3%) and self-medication (31.1%) as first reaction to COVID-19 symptoms. The multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that patients with breathing difficulties symptom and history of respiratory disease had greater odds professional treatment of seeking respectively (adjusted odds ratio (OR) =1.6, P=0.03, (OR) =3.3, P =0.001). Conclusions: Roughly half of symptomatic COVID-19 patient reported home remedies as first treatment-seeking behaviors and only breathing difficulties symptom and past history of respiratory disease were identified as an independent predictor of professional treatment–seeking. However, we found no more professional treatment -seeking behaviors among elderly, diabetic, hypertensive and obese patients, while there were at risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19 infections. Thus, behavior change interventions in population with underling disease (including diabetes, hypertension and obesity) and older age is crucial to improve professional treatment -seeking behaviors.