Investigation of the relationship between cyberchondria, anxiety and treatment compliance in oncology patients

Cancer is a condition that scares and worries people. For this reason, individuals diagnosed with cancer resort to various information-seeking methods to cope with the process. The internet is one of the most commonly used sources during this information-seeking process. However, the usage pattern and outcomes of the internet can turn into excessive or repetitive searches, exacerbating health-related anxieties and concerns, a phenomenon known as cyberchondria. In this context, the purpose of the research is to examine the relationship between cyberchondria, anxiety, and treatment adherence in oncology patients. Using a purposive sampling method in the relational scanning model, the research reached 102 patients receiving outpatient or inpatient treatment at the medical oncology clinic of a university hospital between August 1, 2023, and November 1, 2023. Data were collected using a personal information form, the Cyberchondria Severity Scale, the Short Form of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Treatment Adherence Questionnaire. For the analysis of the data collected through face-to-face interviews conducted by the researcher, descriptive statistics were used for number and percentage distributions, Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine relationships between variables, and t-test, ANOVA, and regression analysis were employed to answer research questions. According to the research results, the cyberchondria score of postgraduate participants was statistically significant and higher than that of high school graduates. The cyberchondria score of participants who were non-adherent to treatment was also statistically significant and higher compared to adherent participants. There was no significant relationship found between participants' continuous anxiety level and other dimensions of the Cyberchondria Severity Scale. However, a positive and statistically significant relationship was found between the excessive anxiety subscale and the Cyberchondria Severity Scale. The average cyberchondria severity scale score of the participants was 65.98±16.27.Based on the findings of this study, social workers working in the field of oncology can contribute significantly to providing psychosocial support to oncology patients and their families in dealing with the problems and anxieties they experience during the information acquisition process. Key Words: Oncology, Cancer, Anxiety, Adherence to Treatment, Cyberchondria