Investigation of the relationship between coronavirus anxiety and sociodemographic features in Cyberchondria

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between cyberchondria, fear of Covid-19 and sociodemographic characteristics in people aged 18-65. 332 people from different provinces of Turkey participated in the research. In the study, the Cyberchondria Severity Scale and the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Fear Scale were applied to the participants. As a result of the research, a statistically significant relationship was found between the severity of cyberchondria and the fear of Covid-19. According to the research findings, it was seen that female participants' fear of coronavirus (Covid-19) scale and cyberchondria sub-dimension scores were higher than male participants. It was seen that the participants who did research about the disease on the Internet had higher cyberchondria compulsion, excessive anxiety, exaggeration, will for reassurance and total scale scores than the participants who did not make any research. It has been observed that the fear of coronavirus (Covid-19) scale and cyberchondria compulsion, exaggeration, reassurance sub-dimensions and total scale scores of people who watched health-related broadcasts on TV were higher than those who did not watch health-related broadcasts on TV. It was observed that the fear of coronavirus (Covid-19) scale, cyberchondria exaggeration, the sub-dimensions of reassurance and the total scores of the individuals who had examinations other than physician's recommendation were higher than those who did not have examinations other than physician's recommendation. It was observed that cyberchondria extreme anxiety, exaggeration sub-dimensions and total scale scores of people who used drugs other than physician's recommendation were higher than those who used drugs other than physician's recommendation than those who did not. It has been observed that the cyberchondria compulsion, excessive anxiety, exaggeration, reassurance and total scale scores of people who made decisions based on information on the Internet were higher than those who sometimes and never made decisions according to the information on the Internet.