@article{article_1634837, title={Cyberchondria and quality of life in anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder: A cross-sectional assessment from a tertiary center}, journal={Ege Tıp Dergisi}, volume={64}, pages={289–299}, year={2025}, DOI={10.19161/etd.1634837}, url={https://izlik.org/JA72RD83WE}, author={Tanyeri Kayahan, Selin and Kuman Tunçel, Özlem and İşman Haznedaroğlu, Damla and Pırıldar, Şebnem}, keywords={Siberkondri, internet kullanımı, anksiyete bozuklukları, obsesif kompulsif bozukluk, yaşam kalitesi}, abstract={Aim: Cyberchondria refers to excessive internet searches for medical knowledge. Studies evaluating cyberchondria in the psychiatric clinical population are scarce. We aimed to investigate the relationship between cyberchondria and general anxiety, health anxiety, and quality of life scores of patients diagnosed with anxiety disorders or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Materials and Methods: Sociodemographic, clinical, and internet use-related data of the patients who applied to the psychiatric outpatient clinic of a university hospital were collected. Sixty-one patients with anxiety disorders (n = 34), obsessive-compulsive disorder (n = 22), or both were included. Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS), Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS), Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 (ASI-3), Health Anxiety Inventory Short Version (SHAI), Adult Separation Anxiety Questionnaire (ASA), and Short Form 36 (SF-36) were applied. Results: Most visited websites were social media (86.9%), more than half of the participants did online research about psychiatric disorders, half of those felt relief, and 10% changed or stopped their medication after online searches. CSS scores were associated with SHAI (p = .007), HARS (p = .022), absence of psychiatric comorbidity (p = .005), and average time spent on the internet per day (p < .001) in regression analysis. SF-36 social functioning scores were negatively correlated with CSS scores (r = -.276, p = .036). Anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder patients did not differ significantly in terms of CSS scores (p = .650, t = .457). Conclusion: Considering the increasing digitalization and internet use, research is needed to navigate the development of appropriate interventions by examining the concept of cyberchondria and its relationship with mental disorders.}, number={2}