Impact of <i>Ayurveda</i> Pre-monsoon Prophylaxis on Episodes and Severity of Fever, Cough and Cold in North Karnataka - A Cross-sectional Survey Study

Abstract

Background: Though monsoons are a real gift of nature, it is a meteorological phenomenon which brings in lots of losses in terms of money and life through the upsurge of various infectious diseases in India. According to Ayurveda, immunity is comparatively lower during the monsoon season. So, it is in practice in our institute to provide pre-monsoon prophylaxis to all interested staff and students to boost immunity. Objective:  The present retrospective cross-sectional study was planned to assess the impact of Ayurveda Pre-monsoon Prophylaxis on the severity and frequency of episodes of fever, cough and cold in healthy volunteers. Methods: After obtaining ethical clearance for the cross-sectional study, a survey using Google Forms was conducted. A Google form was created to assess the health condition as well as the frequency and severity of cough, cold and fever in the study subjects before and after prophylaxis. Detailed scrutiny of the respondents was carried out by the investigators. The Google forms of people who participated in the prophylaxis and visited for follow-up six months after receiving monsoon prophylaxis were included in the analysis. The data was analyzed using paired t-test. Results: A total of 591 participants out of 806 met the inclusion criteria and participated in the study. A highly significant (p<0.001) reduction in the frequency of episodes and severity of fever, cold, and cough was found in the study subjects after prophylaxis. Conclusion: So, it may be inferred that Ayurveda Pre-monsoon prophylaxis is an effective practice to enhance overall health and thereby boost the immunity of individuals.