Beyond the Surface: An Investigation of the Prevalence of Health Anxiety and Cyberchondria Among Undergraduate Health Science and Non-Health Science Students
Location
Room 232, Schewel Hall
Access Type
Campus Access Only
Presentation Type
Oral presentation
Entry Number
2378
Start Date
4-16-2025 1:30 PM
End Date
4-16-2025 1:45 PM
School
School of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Department
Psychology
Keywords
Cyberchondria, Health anxiety, gender, comorbidity, health sciences, internet usage, transient hypochondriasis, medical students' disease, reassurance seeking, personality
Abstract
Health anxiety is the stress associated with arbitrary somatic symptoms. In turn, repetitive internet searching of symptoms is referred to as cyberchondria. Health science students may be at particular risk for the development of health anxiety and cyberchondria due to studying health information and extended internet usage. This study aimed to distinguish the prevalence of health anxiety and cyberchondria among 93 undergraduate students with high and low exposure to health science courses. Students that have taken one or more health science courses showed significantly more health anxiety and cyberchondria than those who had not taken health science classes. By recognizing this as a normal phenomenon, awareness and education may help alleviate health science students’ anxiety.
Primary Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Ei Hlaing
Primary Faculty Mentor(s) Department
Psychology
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Beyond the Surface: An Investigation of the Prevalence of Health Anxiety and Cyberchondria Among Undergraduate Health Science and Non-Health Science Students
Room 232, Schewel Hall
Health anxiety is the stress associated with arbitrary somatic symptoms. In turn, repetitive internet searching of symptoms is referred to as cyberchondria. Health science students may be at particular risk for the development of health anxiety and cyberchondria due to studying health information and extended internet usage. This study aimed to distinguish the prevalence of health anxiety and cyberchondria among 93 undergraduate students with high and low exposure to health science courses. Students that have taken one or more health science courses showed significantly more health anxiety and cyberchondria than those who had not taken health science classes. By recognizing this as a normal phenomenon, awareness and education may help alleviate health science students’ anxiety.