THE IMPACT OF INDIVIDUAL HEALTH PERCEPTION ON CYBERCHONDRIA BEHAVIOR

Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine the effect of individual health perception on cyberchondria tendency and to identify differences in individual health perception and cyberchondria tendency according to various demographic variables. Material and Methods: The sample of the study consists of 400 individuals over the age of 18, residing in Istanbul, Turkiye. The individual health perception scale and cyberchondria severity scale were used as data collection tools. The t-test and ANOVA tests for difference analyses, correlation analysis to examine the direction of the relationship and multiple connection problem between sub-dimensions of the scale, and multiple regression analysis were used to determine the effect of individual health perception on cyberchondria tendency. Results: The results indicate that participants exhibit sub-average tendencies towards cyberchondria but maintain favorable perceptions of their health. Upon examination, no significant variations in health perception were identified based on marital status, gender, age, income level, place of residence, healthcare facility type, or annual frequency of hospital visits. Notably, individuals with a bachelor's degree manifested more pronounced cyberchondria behaviors compared to those with associate degrees or high school diplomas. The data also underscores a significant correlation between individual health perceptions and the propensity towards cyberchondria. Conclusion: It was concluded that 49% of individuals' cyberchondria levels are explained by health perception. It was found that the education factor had a significant effect on individual health perception and cyberchondria tendency, but demographic factors such as gender, age, income, type of settlement, type of hospital, and annual hospital visit status did not have any effect. It is recommended to design customized informational campaigns or interventions aimed at specific educational groups to correct potential misunderstandings and improve health literacy.