Increase in the prevalence of health anxiety in medical clinics: Possible cyberchondria

The International Journal of Social Psychiatry
Peter TyrerPaul Bassett

Abstract

Health anxiety may be an increasing problem because of the focus on monitoring health and increasing use of the Internet for self-diagnosis (cyberchondria). There is very little information about changes in the prevalence of health anxiety. We compared the prevalence of health anxiety in four medical clinics in one hospital over a 4-year period using the Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI) as a diagnostic marker. Patients attending cardiology, endocrine, gastroenterology and respiratory medicine clinics at King's Mill Hospital, North Nottinghamshire, completed the HAI while waiting for their appointments. There were eight research assistants involved in collecting data, two in the 2006-2008 period and six in the 2008-2010 period. As a consequence, more data were collected on the second occasion. There was an increase in the prevalence of health anxiety from 14.9% in 2006-2008 (54 positive of 362 assessed) to 19.9% (1,132 positive out of 5,704 assessed) in 2008-2010. This increase was primarily noted in gastroenterology clinics (increase of 10%) and not shown in endocrine ones. The prevalence of health anxiety is increasing in those who attend medical out-patient clinics. Reasons are given that this may be a possible result of cyberc...Continue Reading

References

Oct 20, 2001·History of Psychiatry·G E Berrios, R Luque
Nov 29, 2011·Journal of Psychosomatic Research·Peter TyrerHelen Tyrer
Mar 22, 2012·The International Journal of Social Psychiatry·Helen TyrerPeter Tyrer
Apr 14, 2012·The British Journal of Psychiatry : the Journal of Mental Science·Matthew SunderlandGavin Andrews
Feb 7, 2015·World Psychiatry : Official Journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA)·Vladan Starcevic, Elias Aboujaoude
Nov 23, 2015·Journal of Affective Disorders·D J SteinG M Reed
Jan 21, 2016·Psychosomatics·Timothy M ScarellaArthur Barsky
Apr 6, 2016·Psychosomatics·Emily R Doherty-TorstrickBrian A Fallon
Apr 27, 2016·BMJ : British Medical Journal·Peter TyrerHelen Tyrer
Jun 23, 2018·Current Psychiatry Reports·Peter Tyrer
Jul 11, 2018·Annals of Family Medicine·Lisa ParkerQuinn Grundy
Oct 14, 2018·Journal of Psychosomatic Research·Chiara GasteigerAnna S Serlachius

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Dec 21, 2019·Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics & Outcomes Research·Erland Axelsson, Erik Hedman-Lagerlöf
Jun 26, 2020·Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines·Martin K RimvallCharlotte Ulrikka Rask
Sep 16, 2020·World Psychiatry : Official Journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA)·Peter Tyrer
Jan 23, 2021·Clinical Medicine : Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of London·Peter TyrerHelen Tyrer
Jul 27, 2021·Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness·Perjan Hashim Taha

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Software Mentioned

CHAMP

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Atrophic Gastritis

Atrophic Gastritis is a process where gastric glandular cells are lost and replaced with firbous tissues, as a result of chronic inflammation. Learn more about Atrophic Gastritis here.