Health-Promoting Lifestyle and Intention to Use Herbal Medicine in COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of Rural Women in Zanjan Province

This study aimed to determine the influences of a health-promoting lifestyle of rural women during the COVID-19 pandemic on the intention to use herbal medicine and to investigate the moderating effects of Corona anxiety on the model. The present research is a cross-section survey conducted using a questionnaire with confirmed validity and reliability. Rural women of Zanjan Province comprised the study population. Multi-stage sampling was performed, and the sample size was calculated as 272 using Cochran's formula. Data were collected between March and May 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. The results revealed that the lifestyle of rural women was moderately health-oriented. The results of the hypothesized structural model showed that dimensions of a health-promoting lifestyle explained 68% of the variability in intention to use herbal medicine. The drivers of intention to use herbal medicine for rural women in order of influence were health responsibility, nutrition, self-actualization, and stress management. The findings on the moderating role of Corona anxiety on the conceptual model of the study revealed that Corona anxiety significantly moderates the path relations of health responsibility and interpersonal relationships with intention to use herbal medicine. This study is significant in determining how Covid-19 infection can increase attention to certain aspects of a healthy lifestyle and intention to use herbal medicines. Furthermore, by looking at the underlying variables correlated to the intention to use herbal medicines, the results of this study could be beneficial in explaining appropriate educational interventions for rural women.