Does cyberchondria predict Internet addiction among students during the COVID-19 pandemic? A web-based survey study

Anxiety sensitivity moderates the relationship between internet addiction and cyberchondria among nurses

Internet addiction and cyberchondria have a bidirectional relationship. However, no known studies have evaluated the moderating role of anxiety sensitivity in that relationship. The study aimed to determine whether anxiety sensitivity moderates the relationship between internet addiction and cyberchondria among Jordanian nurses. Data were collected from 303 nurses using a web-based survey and convenience snowballing sampling methods using a cross-sectional research design. The Internet Addiction Test and the short version of the Cyberchondria Severity Scale were used to assess internet addiction and cyberchondria. Nurses reported mild internet addiction, low anxiety sensitivity, and moderate cyberchondria. Also, these findings suggested that sensitivity to anxious feelings moderates the relationship between internet addiction and cyberchondria. These findings would help nurses use psychosocial interventions for people with internet addiction and cyberchondria by understanding how their anxiety sensitivity promotes their internet addiction and cyberchondria.

COVID-19 era-related e-learning: a cross-sectional web-scale study of cyberchondria, internet addiction and anxiety-related symptomatology among university nursing students

OBJECTIVE

The study assessed COVID-19 era-related e-learning cyberchondria, internet addiction and anxiety-related symptomatology among nursing students. The relationships, predictors and differences between the studied concepts were measured.

DESIGN

In 2021, a quantitative cross-sectional research design using a web survey with a sample size of 333 nursing students yielded a response rate of 70%.

RESULTS

Nursing students had a moderate level of cyberchondria, low to moderate internet addiction, a moderate to severe level of anxiety and depression, and a normal stress level. Demographic characteristics, cyberchondria, internet addiction and anxiety-related symptomatology were significantly correlated. Grade point average, age, type of organisation where the students were trained and level of education were significant predictors of the studied variables. Significant differences in the studied concepts were found based on the sample's characteristics such as gender, type of organisations or universities where the students were trained or studied, and age.

CONCLUSION

Cyberchondria, internet addiction, depression, anxiety and stress symptomatology are troublesome. Higher education organisations might benefit from examining the variables of interest and investigating the relations between internet addiction and depression and anxiety symptomatology among nursing students. Such research will aid in tailoring treatments to assist vulnerable students by targeting counselling and educational efforts toward building a future generation of nurses with reduced cyberchondria, internet addiction and anxiety-related symptomatology.

Cyberchondria: a Growing Concern During the COVID-19 Pandemic and a Possible Addictive Disorder?

Purpose of Review

The main purpose of this narrative review is to provide a brief overview of the current empirical evidence regarding the conceptualization, assessment, and treatment of cyberchondria, with a focus on the potential classification of cyberchondria as a behavioral addiction. Although cyberchondria has been widely associated with anxiety, it has also been suggested that it may be linked to obsessive-compulsive features. A less explored proposal is the categorization of cyberchondria as a behavioral addiction. The present review explores the existing literature with respect to the possible classification of cyberchondria as a behavioral addiction by considering cyberchondria with respect to components of the interaction of person, affect, cognition and execution model.

Recent Findings

There is a lack of consensus regarding the definition and conceptualization of cyberchondria. The empirical evidence available to date suggests that cyberchondria is a multifactorial construct that operates transdiagnostically, particularly with respect to obsessive-compulsive-related disorders and health-related anxiety. The extent to which the condition may reflect a behavioral addiction as a form of problematic use of the internet also warrants consideration. Cyberchondria may have become more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic, with particular populations prone to health-related anxiety likely having greater vulnerability. Existing data in part support the potential classification of cyberchondria as a behavioral addiction, although many gaps in understanding currently exist.

Summary

Cyberchondria appears to be a growing concern. However, there is not yet enough empirical evidence to determine whether this clinical condition has enough similarities with behavioral addictions to be considered as one. Likewise, psychometric instruments that exist to date have not been designed from the theoretical framework of behavioral addictions, so most of the factors that they evaluate may be preferentially related to anxiety. Finally, there is still no consensus on whether cyberchondria should be addressed in the context of health anxiety interventions, OCRD, or behavioral addictions; thus, more empirical evidence is needed.

How cyberchondria and decision self-efficacy shapes the acceptability of COVID-19 vaccine: A gender-based comparison

Objective

Alarmingly, the individuals' reach and coverage to get vaccinated in developing regions during the pandemic is a massive challenge for concerned authorities. This study aimed to demonstrate how cyberchondria play a significant role in a classical health belief model. Cyberchondria may influence cognitive factors (e.g. self-efficacy), which may contribute to an increase in attitude-behavior gap. Especially in the context of a health-centric scenario, it may discourage individuals to take protective measures.

Method

By using the cross-sectional research design, the authors conducted a quantitative survey in Pakistan and collected 563 responses from 303 male respondents (rural = 91; urban = 212) with (Urban M:35.5, standard deviation (SD):13.4) and rural M:37.5, SD:8.4).

Result

The findings indicate that decision self-efficacy among males is stronger than that in females. It dominates other determinants, which can dampen the individuals' intentions to get vaccinated. For instance, the effect of conspiracies and perceived seriousness was noted nonsignificant and weak. In females, perceived seriousness was stronger determinant than in males. In addition, the negative effect of decision self-efficacy was noted in the case of females, and conspiracy and cyberchondria had a negative role.

Conclusion

This study highlights valuable implications for future research in infodemic, health communication and health literacy, and practical implications for regulatory bodies and public administration.

Investigating the Prevalence of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) Among Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction

During the pandemic, health issues associated with using digital devices and exploring social media, such as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS), have increased considerably.

Objectives

This study looked into CVS and its significance in Jordan and the CVS outcomes of undergraduate nursing students who used digital devices to surf social media during COVID-19.

Methods

To assess CVS, a quantitative cross-sectional research design was used. Data were collected in 2022 through an online diagnostic and formative survey utilizing the CVS-Questionnaire (CVS-Q) with 310 undergraduate nursing students from a government and a private university in Jordan. Descriptive statistics and the univariate general linear model were used to analyze the collected data.

Results

To report the prevalence of CVS among the studied sample, the median score was 1.80. The median prevalence score was 24.50 (range = 13-31), and 26.75% of participants reported having intense social media searches. For a student in this study to be diagnosed with CVS, they must receive a score of at least 5, and the current sample score was around 2, indicating they didn't have a CVS; however, it was moderate when it occurred. About 26.75% of participants reported having problematic social media searches. Back and neck pain and headaches were the typical signs of CVS. The average daily hours spent using digital devices for social media searches increased during the pandemic utilizing mobile phones, especially among male nursing students. Being a junior student with no social media account and unable to balance study and social media were among the predictors of CVS. Most students used protective tools on their digital devices, such as protective films and phone screens, to prevent or accommodate CVS.

Conclusion

There were no prior collected data about CVS in Jordan, and based on the international trend, the COVID-19 pandemic didn't directly contribute to the prevalence of CVS. However, when the CVS occurred, it was moderate, which mandates proactive and prophylactic redesigning of our educational system.

The effect of cyberchondria on anxiety, depression and quality of life during COVID-19: the mediational role of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and Internet addiction

Since the global pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), online health information-seeking behaviors have notably increased. Cyberchondria can be a vulnerability factor for the worsening of anxiety-depressive symptoms and quality of life. The current study aims to understand the predictive effect of cyberchondria on health anxiety, anxiety, depression and quality of life considering the mediating effect of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and Internet addiction and the moderating effect of COVID anxiety. 572 Italian participants (66% female; Mean age = 34; SD = 15) took part in a cross-sectional online survey involving CSS-12, MOCQ-R, IAT, SHAI, HADS, WHOQoL-BREF and CAS. Mediation and moderation analyses were conducted. Obsessive-compulsive symptoms and Internet addiction were found to partially mediate the cyberchondria-health anxiety and the cyberchondria-anxiety links and to totally mediate the cyberchondria-depression and the cyberchondria-quality of life links. COVID anxiety was found to moderate the relationship between cyberchondria and anxiety. The findings suggest that compulsivity may have a key role in the explanation of the underlying mechanisms of cyberchondria. Healthcare practitioners should provide additional support for individuals with cyberchondria. As such, cyberchondria is a contributing factor to the exacerbation of anxiety-depressive disorders and may impact on the quality of life.

Internet addiction and its association with depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms among allied health students in Malaysia

BACKGROUND Internet addiction (IA) is prone to be experienced by students and has become a major health concern. However, data on IA among allied health students are limited. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of IA and the association between mental health problems and IA among allied health students in Malaysia. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted from July to December 2021 in three government-funded allied health training institutes in Malaysia. A total of 265 allied health students undertaking a diploma in nursing, medical assistant training, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and diagnostic imaging were recruited using stratified random sampling. The Malay version of the IA test was used to measure IA, while depression, anxiety and stress scale-21 items were used to assess their mental health problems. A general linear model was used to analyze the association between IA scores and mental health problems. RESULTS The prevalence of IA among allied health students was more than 80%, with 16.2% and 2.3% of them reporting moderate and severe IA, respectively. Higher depression (p<0.001), anxiety (p<0.001), and stress scores (p = 0.002) were associated with higher IA scores. CONCLUSIONS There were significant associations between mental health problems and IA scores among allied health students. Future studies with rigorous scientific methods are necessary to explore mental health effects on IA. Early intervention is also needed to prevent mental health problems among allied health students to overcome the problem of IA.