Living with PCOS in the Internet Age: The Role of Cyberchondria in Adolescent Health Anxiety

Cyberchondria is described as a type of anxiety typified by compulsive Internet searches for obtaining health information. The current study is aimed at analysing the magnitude of cyberchondria in adolescents with polycystic ovary syndrome and contrasting them with adolescents of the same age.

 The study included 426 adolescents who presented to clinic between April 2023 and September 2023. These patients were categorized further into two groups; polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) group (135 patients) and control group (291 patients). The Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS) was administered to applicants face-to-face. Both patient groups' CSS and subscale scores were examined and contrasted.

The results indicated that the PCOS group had a mean score of 77 (63-91) while the control group had a mean score of 72 (59-83) in the total CSS, indicating a remarkable difference between the two groups. Upon analysing the subscales of cyberchondria, a statistically significant change was seen between the groups in the subcategories of excessiveness, compulsion, distress, and mistrust of medical professionals.

From the results, it was inferred that adolescents with PCOS showed increased levels of cyberchondria, which may exacerbate related symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Healthcare professionals should be careful to assess internet usage in adolescents with PCOS in order to guide them proactively. 

Source: J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2024 Aug 19:S1083-3188(24)00271-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jpag.2024.08.006. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39168278.