Objective: The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of illness anxiety disorder (IAD) and its relationship with self-diagnosis through internet searches in the general population of Saudi Arabia (SA).
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among the general population in SA. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed using an online platform. The questionnaire was composed of psychosocial and demographic information, including age, sex, educational level, medical illness, and history of psychiatric illness. The short version of the health anxiety inventory (SHAI) and the short-form version of the cyberchondria severity scale (CSS-12) were used.
Results: Out of 479 completed surveys, 53.9% were females, and 44.1% were aged between 21 and 25 years. The prevalence of IAD based on the SHAI questionnaire was 14.4%. The level of CSS was classified as low, average, and high among 21.1%, 53.7%, and 25.3%, respectively. A positive IAD level was associated with a higher score in the CSS-12. In a multivariate regression model, it was found that having mental illness and an increased level of self-diagnosis on internet search were the independent significant predictors associated with positive IAD level.
Conclusion: This study found an association between IAD and internet search. Females with associated mental illness were at increased risk of suffering from IAD as compared to the general population. These findings proposed further research and clinical practice on IAD and its relation to cyberchondria in SA.
Key words: Illness anxiety, internet search, self-diagnosis, SHAI, CSS-12.
|
