Emily R. Doherty-Torstrick|Kate E. Walton|Brian A. Fallon
Cyberchondria: Parsing Health Anxiety From Online Behavior
St. John's University|St. John's University|Columbia University
individuals questions health often turn internet information symptoms degree health anxiety related online checking clinical variables remains unclear clinical profiles highly anxious internet checkers relationship checking behavior previously reported article test hypothesis derived cognitivebehavioral models individuals higher levels illness anxiety would recall experienced worsening anxiety reassuranceseeking internet data 731 volunteers endorsed engaging online symptomsearching collected using online questionnaire severity health anxiety assessed whiteley index functional impairment sheehan disability scale distress recall searching modified version clinicians global impairment scale multiple regression analyses conducted determine variables contributing distress internet checking severity illness anxiety whiteley index strongest predictor increase anxiety associated consequent online symptomsearching individuals high illness anxiety recalled feeling worse online symptomchecking whereas low illness anxiety recalled relief longerduration online healthrelated use associated increased functional impairment less education increased anxiety checking individuals moderatehigh levels illness anxiety recall experiencing anxiety searching searching may detrimental health replicated controlled experimental settings would suggest individuals illness anxiety advised avoid using internet illnessrelated information