Background: People using the internet for self-diagnosis and management without checking the validity of the published information is known as cyberchondria. However, the figures and the impact of cyberchondria in Saudi Arabia are still unclear. This survey aimed to investigate the prevalence of cyberchondria and the impact of social media among students at Taif University, Saudi Arabia.
Methodology: A self-administered structured questionnaire was sent to the students in Taif University from November 2019 to March 2020, including questions on the Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS), in addition to sociodemographic data.
Results: About 61.6% out of the total 651 respondents were female, and the mean age was 21 ± 2.76. Also, 42.1% studied in health colleges, 33.2% studied in science colleges, and 24.7% studied in arts colleges. The most commonly used program was Google (82.2%), followed by YouTube (19.7%), while the least used program was Snapchat (6.1%). The mean score of the CSS was 2.73 ± 0.73, with a minimum score of 1.96 and a maximum score of 3.66. Females searched the internet for any unexplained bodily sensation significantly more than males (p = 0.005). There was a weak, positive correlation between gender and regret (r = 0.169, p < 0.01), where males regretted buying from influencer advertisements more than females.
Conclusion: Cyberchondria can have harmful consequences on patients and can result in misleading medical advice. Cyberchondria is more common among young adult females and is correlated with regret.
Key words: Prevalence, cyberchondria, social media, Taif University.
|
