TY - JOUR
T1 - Health-Related Anxiety and Hypochondriacal Concerns in Medical Students
T2 - A Cross-Sectional Study From Pakistan
AU - Zahid, Mohammad Faizan
AU - Haque, Ambreen
AU - Aslam, Moaz
AU - Aleem, Numra Abdul
AU - Hussain, Sheraz
AU - Fahad, Hamna
AU - Naqvi, Haider Ali
AU - Ghias, Kulsoom
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Taylor & Francis.
PY - 2016/7/2
Y1 - 2016/7/2
N2 - Phenomenon: Transient health-related anxiety/hypochondriacal concerns in medical students are well documented. The literature suggests that after studying a particular disease, medical students are likely to consider any symptoms earlier regarded as normal to be signs of the disease they are studying. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of these phenomena and their cognitive and distress aspects among medicals students in Karachi, Pakistan. Approach: This was an analytical, cross-sectional study. Self-administered questionnaires comprising demographic details, the Short Health Anxiety Inventory, Medical Students’ Disease (MSD) Perception Scale, and MSD Distress Scale were distributed to 1st- through 5th-year medical students. Findings: In total, 513 medical students (66% female) participated. Their mean age was 21 ± 1.6 years. Three hundred seventy-five students (73%) reported having visited a doctor at least once in the past 6 months. Fifty students (9.9%) admitted to having addictions. The overall prevalence of significant hypochondriacal concerns was 11.9% (61 students). The presence of addiction was associated with a greater likelihood of developing significant health-related anxiety (odds ratio = 3.82, p =.003), 95% confidence interval [1.51, 7.11]. Age, gender, medical school, year of medical school, and visits to the doctor in the previous 6 months were not associated with greater likelihood of developing significant health-related anxiety. Second-year medical students experienced a significantly greater degree of worry (MSD–Distress scale) than 5th-year students (M score = 12.6 ± 4.6 vs. 10.7 ± 4.4, p =.04). Insights: The prevalence of substantial hypochondriacal concerns in medical students in Pakistan was low in comparison to similar studies published in literature. Student health physicians should be aware of the true prevalence of hypochondriacal concerns and behavior and not dismiss legitimate complaints. Educational sessions to counteract this phenomenon can be incorporated into the curriculum of undergraduate medicine. By defining heightened awareness of symptoms as a normal process, different coping techniques can be discussed to help medical students reduce their level of stress.
AB - Phenomenon: Transient health-related anxiety/hypochondriacal concerns in medical students are well documented. The literature suggests that after studying a particular disease, medical students are likely to consider any symptoms earlier regarded as normal to be signs of the disease they are studying. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of these phenomena and their cognitive and distress aspects among medicals students in Karachi, Pakistan. Approach: This was an analytical, cross-sectional study. Self-administered questionnaires comprising demographic details, the Short Health Anxiety Inventory, Medical Students’ Disease (MSD) Perception Scale, and MSD Distress Scale were distributed to 1st- through 5th-year medical students. Findings: In total, 513 medical students (66% female) participated. Their mean age was 21 ± 1.6 years. Three hundred seventy-five students (73%) reported having visited a doctor at least once in the past 6 months. Fifty students (9.9%) admitted to having addictions. The overall prevalence of significant hypochondriacal concerns was 11.9% (61 students). The presence of addiction was associated with a greater likelihood of developing significant health-related anxiety (odds ratio = 3.82, p =.003), 95% confidence interval [1.51, 7.11]. Age, gender, medical school, year of medical school, and visits to the doctor in the previous 6 months were not associated with greater likelihood of developing significant health-related anxiety. Second-year medical students experienced a significantly greater degree of worry (MSD–Distress scale) than 5th-year students (M score = 12.6 ± 4.6 vs. 10.7 ± 4.4, p =.04). Insights: The prevalence of substantial hypochondriacal concerns in medical students in Pakistan was low in comparison to similar studies published in literature. Student health physicians should be aware of the true prevalence of hypochondriacal concerns and behavior and not dismiss legitimate complaints. Educational sessions to counteract this phenomenon can be incorporated into the curriculum of undergraduate medicine. By defining heightened awareness of symptoms as a normal process, different coping techniques can be discussed to help medical students reduce their level of stress.
KW - health-related anxiety
KW - hypochondriasis
KW - medical education
KW - medical students
KW - transient hypochondriasis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84964334430&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/10401334.2016.1155459
DO - 10.1080/10401334.2016.1155459
M3 - Article
C2 - 27092575
AN - SCOPUS:84964334430
SN - 1040-1334
VL - 28
SP - 252
EP - 259
JO - Teaching and Learning in Medicine
JF - Teaching and Learning in Medicine
IS - 3
ER -