An investigation of cyberchondria and internet-based health informationseeking behaviors related to child health among mothers attending the Çukurova University Education Family Health Center

Aim: This study aimed to examine the cyberchondria levels of mothers applying to primary care, their internet research on their children's health, and the relationship between these. Materials and Methods: The sample of this descriptive and cross-sectional study consisted of mothers who applied to the Çukurova University Educational Family Health Center for any reason between August 1, 2024, and October 31, 2024. The mothers who agreed to participate in the study were administered a questionnaire form, the Short Form of the Cyberchondria Severity Scale-12 (CSS-12), and the Parental Internet Search for Child Health Scale. Results: The mean age of the 350 participating mothers was 34.99 ± 6.19 years (range: 22–55). The average score on the Cyberchondria Severity Scale Short Form-12 was 30.85 ± 8.84, while the average score on the Parental Internet Search for Child Health Scale was 52.57 ± 17.13. When 50% of the maximum possible score from the scales was taken as the cut-off point, it was found that the mothers' levels of cyberchondria and their tendency to search the internet regarding their children's health were below average. Mothers who wanted family physicians to recommend reliable online health sources, who usually/always conducted internet searches, who considered the internet to be a safe environment, and who searched online about the same issue after consulting a health professional had significantly higher scale scores (p < 0.05). Correlation analyses between the two scales revealed weak, moderate, and good positive relationships in all subscales and total scores (p < 0.001). Additionally, 78.6% of the mothers reported that they would like family physicians to recommend reliable internet sources related to health. Conclusion: The fact that four out of five mothers requested reliable internet source recommendations from their family physician indicates a significant need in this area. Considering mothers' tendencies in this regard, it is recommended that family physicians take a more proactive role in initiating and discussing the topic of online health searches, and be more supportive and guiding in providing access to reliable websites. Given the positive correlations found between mothers' cyberchondria scores and their scores on internet searches related to their children's health, preventive interventions can be planned to ensure that neither the mothers' nor, in the future, their children's levels of cyberchondria become a significant concern.