Nurses' use of 'wellness' supplements during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States

Samantha L Turner; Ariel Beccia; Gwenneth Feeny; Amanda Raffoul; Destiny Jackson; Vishnudas Sarda; Janet Rich-Edwards; Jorge Chavarro; Jaime E Hart; S Bryn Austin

doi:10.1111/jan.16162

Nurses' use of 'wellness' supplements during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States

J Adv Nurs. 2024 Mar 21. doi: 10.1111/jan.16162. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Samantha L Turner¹, Ariel Beccia^{2

3}, Gwenneth Feeny⁴, Amanda Raffoul^{2

3}, Destiny Jackson⁵, Vishnudas Sarda², Janet Rich-Edwards^{3

5}, Jorge Chavarro⁶, Jaime E Hart^{7

8}, S Bryn Austin^{2

3

5}

Affiliations

¹ Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.
² Division of Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
³ Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
⁴ Faculty of Health Sciences, McMcaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
⁵ Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
⁶ Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
⁷ Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
⁸ Spatial and Contextual Exposomics and Epidemiology Laboratory, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

PMID: 38515173
DOI: 10.1111/jan.16162

Abstract

Aim: Quantify disparities and identify correlates and predictors of 'wellness' supplement use among nurses during the first year of the pandemic.

Design: Longitudinal secondary analysis of Nurses' Health Studies 2 and 3 and Growing Up Today Study data.

Methods: Sample included 36,518 total participants, 12,044 of which were nurses, who completed surveys during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic (April 2020 to April 2021). Analyses were conducted in March 2023. Modified Poisson models were used to estimate disparities in 'wellness' supplement use between nurses and non-healthcare workers and, among nurses only, to quantify associations with workplace-related predictors (occupational discrimination, PPE access, workplace setting) and psychosocial predictors (depression/anxiety, county-level COVID-19 mortality). Models included race/ethnicity, gender identity, age and cohort as covariates.

Results: Nurses were significantly more likely to use all types of supplements than non-healthcare workers. Lacking personal protective equipment and experiencing occupational discrimination were significantly associated with new immune supplement use. Depression increased the risk of using weight loss, energy and immune supplements.

Conclusion: Nurses' disproportionate use of 'wellness' supplements during the COVID-19 pandemic may be related to workplace and psychosocial stressors. Given well-documented risks of harm from the use of 'wellness' supplements, the use of these products by nurses is of concern.

Impact: 'Wellness' supplements promoting weight loss, increased energy, boosted immunity and cleansing of organs are omnipresent in today's health-focused culture, though their use has been associated with harm. This is of added concern among nurses given their risk of COVID-19 infection at work. Our study highlighted the risk factors associated with use of these products (lacking PPE and experiencing occupational discrimination). Findings support prior research suggesting a need for greater public health policy and education around the use of 'wellness' supplements.

Reporting method: STROBE guidelines were followed throughout manuscript.

Patient or public contribution: No patient or public contribution was involved.

Keywords: COVID‐19 pandemic; inequalities in health; occupational health; workforce issues.

Abstract

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