CYBERCHONDRIA AND HEALTH ANXIETY IN THE DIGITAL AGE: A SCOPING REVIEW

Abstract

With the rapid expansion of digital information, individuals increasingly rely on the internet to search for medical symptoms and health-related concerns. However, this behaviour has led to the emergence of cyberchondria, characterized by excessive or repeated online health searches that amplify distress and anxiety. This scopus review aims to explore the relationship between cyberchondria and health anxiety, along with the associated psychological behavioural and cognitive factors in the digital age. A total of 28 studies were selected following systematic screening across databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed and ScienceDirect. The included studies comprised Cross-sectional, correlational. Mediation, experimental, and review designs. Findings Consistently indicate a strong association between Cyberchondria and health anxiety with the mediating and moderating role of variables, such as health literacy emotional regulation, cognitive bias, social media use, and personality traits. Overall, the findings suggest that cyberchondria is a multifactorial phenomenon influenced by both individual psychological vulnerabilities and digital environmental factors, ultimately contributing to increase health anxiety.

Keywords: Cyberchondria, Health Anxiety, Digital Health, E-health Literacy, Anxiety, Internet Use.