Determining the coronavirus-19 phobia and cyberchondria level in individuals with A chronic illness during the pandemic and the affecting factors

The sample of this descriptive cross sectional study which sought to determine the coronavirus-19 phobia and cyberchondria in individuals with a chronic illness during the coronavirus-19 pandemic and the affecting factors comprised 292 inpatients and outpatients with a chronic illness between December 2020 and April 2021. The researcher collected the data via an online data collection method. As data collection tools, the researcher used the Personal Information Form, the Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS) and the Coronavirus-19 Phobia Scale (C19PS). In evaluation of the data, the researcher used number, percentage, ANOVA test, t-test, Tukey and Bonferroni multiple comparison test, correlation and regression analysis. Of the study participants, 56.4% were female, 35.7% were aged 50 years and above, 82.3% were married and 54.8% were employed. 83% of the participants stated that they had searched the internet for coronavirus-19, 84.7% watched shows related to health/coronavirus-19 on the TV/internet and 18.7% believed in the accuracy of the information they had obtained from the internet and 76.2% were psychologically affected by the information they had obtained from the internet in a negative direction. The participants' gender, educational background, state of following a publication related to health (such as books, journals), state of watching shows related to health/coronavirus-19 on the TV/internet, state of believing in the accuracy of the information they had obtained from the internet related to health state of being psychologically affected by the information they had obtained from the TV/internet in a negative direction were the variables affecting their coronavirus-19 phobia and cyberchondria level (p<0.05). The participants' mean C19PS score was 55.47±12.44 and mean CSS score was 79.37±14.66. Considering the highest scores to be obtained from the two scales (C19PS:100, CSS: 165), the participants had a moderate level of coronavirus-19 phobia and cyberchondria. Early identification of cyberchondria which is believed to have increased during the coronavirus-19 pandemic is crucial for properly managing chronic illnesses. Nurses are to consult individuals with a chronic illness as soon as they are diagnosed and teach them health literacy.