THE IMPACT OF INDIVIDUAL HEALTH PERCEPTION ON CYBERCHONDRIA BEHAVIOR

Year 2024, Volume: 7 Issue: 2, 107 - 116, 04.06.2024

Mustafa Filiz , Yalçın Karagöz

https://doi.org/10.26650/JARHS2024-1339528

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine the effect of individual health perception on cyberchondria tendency and to identify differences in individual health perception and cyberchondria tendency according to various demographic variables.

Material and Methods: The sample of the study consists of 400 individuals over the age of 18, residing in Istanbul, Turkiye. The individual health perception scale and cyberchondria severity scale were used as data collection tools. The t-test and ANOVA tests for difference analyses, correlation analysis to examine the direction of the relationship and multiple connection problem between sub-dimensions of the scale, and multiple regression analysis were used to determine the effect of individual health perception on cyberchondria tendency.

Results: The results indicate that participants exhibit sub-average tendencies towards cyberchondria but maintain favorable perceptions of their health. Upon examination, no significant variations in health perception were identified based on marital status, gender, age, income level, place of residence, healthcare facility type, or annual frequency of hospital visits (p>0.05). Notably, individuals with a bachelor's degree manifested more pronounced cyberchondria behaviors compared to those with associate degrees or high school diplomas (p<0.05). The data also underscores a significant correlation between individual health perceptions and the propensity towards cyberchondria (p<0.05).

Conclusion: It was concluded that 49% of individuals' cyberchondria levels are explained by health perception. It was found that the education factor had a significant effect on individual health perception and cyberchondria tendency, but demographic factors such as gender, age, income, type of settlement, type of hospital, and annual hospital visit status did not have any effect. It is recommended to design customized informational campaigns or interventions aimed at specific educational groups to correct potential misunderstandings and improve health literacy.

Keywords

Health perception, disease perception, cyberchondria, digital health

Project Number

yok

BİREYSEL SAĞLIK ALGISININ SİBERKONDRİ DAVRANIŞI ÜZERİNDEKİ ETKİSİ

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmada bireysel sağlık algısının siberkondri eğilimi üzerindeki etkisinin belirlenmesi ve çeşitli demografik değişkenlere göre bireysel sağlık algısı ve siberkondri eğilimin farklılıklarının belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır.

Gereç ve Yöntemler: Araştırmanın örneklemi, Türkiye’nin İstanbul ilinde ikamet eden 18 yaş üstü 400 kişiden oluşmaktadır. Veri toplama aracı olarak bireysel sağlık algısı ve siberkondri ciddiyet ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Verilerin analiz edilmesinde, fark analizleri için t testi ve ANOVA testi, ölçek alt boyutları arasındaki ilişkinin yönünü ve çoklu bağlantı sorununu incelemek için korelasyon analizi ve son olarak bireysel sağlık algısının siberkondri eğilimi üzerindeki etkisini belirlemek amacıyla çoklu regresyon analizi kullanılmıştır.

Bulgular: Bireylerin siberkondri eğilimlerinin ortalamanın altında olduğu, sağlık algılarının ise iyi düzede olduğu bulgulanmıştır. Medeni duruma, cinsiyete, yaşa, gelir durumuna, yerleşim türü, hastane türüne ve yıllık hastaneye gitme sayısına göre bireylerin sağlık algısının değişmediği görülmektedir (p>0,05). Lisans mezunu bireylerin siberkondri davranışları, önlisans ve lise mezunu bireylere göre daha yüksek bulunmuştur (p<0,05). Bireysel sağlık algısının siberkondri eğilimi üzerinde anlamlı şekilde etkili olduğu tespit edilmiştir (p<0,05).

Sonuç: Bireylerin, siberkondri düzeylerinin %49'unun sağlık algısı tarafından açıklandığı sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Bireysel sağlık algısı ve siberkondri eğiliminde eğitim faktörünün önemli etkisi olduğu, ancak cinsiyet, yaş, gelir, yerleşim türü, hastane türü ve yıllık hastaneye gitme durumu gibi demografik faktörlerin herhangi bir etkisi olmadığı tespit edilmiştir. Belirli eğitim gruplarına yönelik potansiyel yanılgıları düzeltmek ve sağlık okuryazarlığını artırmak amacıyla özelleştirilmiş bilgilendirme kampanyaları veya müdahaleler tasarlamak faydalı olacağı öngörülmektedir

Keywords

Sağlık algısı, hastalık algısı, siberkondri, dijital sağlık

Supporting Institution

yok

Project Number

yok

Thanks

yok

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