CYBERCHONDRIA AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG UNIVERSITY STAFF

Abstract

The term "cyberchondria" has been used in the literature for the exacerbation of health anxiety as a result of searching for medical information on the Internet. There are limited studies on the prevalence and potential risk factors of cyberchondria. This study was carried out to determine the level of cyberchondria and related factors in university employees. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 335 academic and non-academic university staff. The data were collected through a questionnaire consisting of 50 questions, 17 of which were related to sociodemographic characteristics and healthcare utilization, and 33 of which were Cyberchondria Severity Scale questions. Multivariate linear regression was used to evaluate factors associated with cyberchondria. The mean cyberchondria score of the participants was 71.1±17.6. The cyberchondria score was higher among staff aged ≤35 (p=0.001). It was found that the cyberchondria score was higher in those who watched health-related broadcasts on TV, who received laboratory tests and procedures without a physician's referral, and who took medication without a doctor's advice (p<0.05). The level of cyberchondria among Pamukkale University employees was moderate. Age, watching health-related broadcasts on TV, receiving laboratory tests and procedures without a physician’s referral, and taking medication without a doctor's advice were factors associated with cyberchondria.