Višegodišnje ispitivanje intenziteta kiberohondrije: uzastopna mjerenja na nezavisnim uzorcima

master's thesis

• Title (english): A Multi-Year Examination of Cyberchondria Intensity: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Design
• Author: Greta Gombar
• Mentor: Nataša Jokić-Begić (mentor)
• Committee member: Margareta Jelić (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Martina Pocrnić (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; (Department of Psychology); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2023-09-27, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: SOCIAL SCIENCES; Psychology; Clinical and Health Psychology

Abstract

Kiberohondrija je konstrukt čija je potpuna konceptualizacija još u tijeku. Trenutno najraširenija definicija ona je Starcevica i Berlea (2013) prema kojoj se radi o pretjeranom i/ili ponavljajućem pretraživanju zdravstvenih informacija na internetu koje dodatno pojačava neugodu ili anksioznost koju osoba osjeća po pitanju svog zdravlja. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je istražiti trend izraženosti kiberohondrije u općoj populaciji u Hrvatskoj u vremenskom razdoblju od 2016. – 2023 te ispitati razlike u izraženosti kiberohondrije ovisno o rodu, dobi i tome boluje li osoba od kronične bolesti. Nacrt istraživanja temeljio se na uzastopnim mjerenjima na nezavisnim uzorcima te su se mjerenja odvijala jednom godišnje putem online upitnika koji se sastojao od Kratke skale kiberohondrije (Jokić-Begić i sur., 2017) i sociodemografskih pitanja. Dobiveni rezultati nisu konzistentni, no ukazuju da je prosječna razina kiberohondrije u općoj populaciji porasla za vrijeme pandemije te nakon nje (2021. i 2023. godina). Žene su sustavno pokazivale izraženiju razinu kiberohondrije kroz sve vremenske točke, dok nalazi za dobne razlike, iako nekonzistentni, upućuju na to da su mlađe dobne skupine (18 – 25 g.) pokazivale izraženiju kiberohondriju (2016. i 2023. godine). Ni u jednoj vremenskoj točki nisu pronađene razlike između osoba s ili bez kroničnog oboljenja. Iako ovo istraživanje ima svoja ograničenja, dobiveni nalazi podižu svijest o kiberohondriji, posebno za prepoznate osjetljive skupine (žene i osobe mlađe odrasle dobi), te o korištenju interneta u kontekstu zdravstvenih informacija i potencijalnih opasnosti koje se s time u vezi mogu pojaviti, a s posebnim naglaskom na vrijeme globalne zdravstvene krize.

Abstract (english)

Cyberchondria is a construct whose full conceptualization is still in progress. Currently, the most widespread definition describes cyberchondria as excessive and/or repetitive online searching for health information that further intensifies the discomfort or anxiety a person feels about their health (Starcevic and Berle, 2013). The aim of this research was to determine the trend of cyberchondria in the general population in Croatia in the period from 2016 – 2023, and to examine the differences in cyberchondria depending on gender, age and chronic illness status. The research design was a repeated cross-sectional study, and the measurements took place once a year through an online questionnaire consisting of the Short Scale of Cyberchondria (Jokić-Begić et al., 2017) and sociodemographic questions. The results of this study are not consistent, but they indicate that the level of cyberchondria in the general population increased during the pandemic and after it (in 2021 and 2023). Women systematically showed a more pronounced level of cyberchondria throughout all time points, while the findings for age differences, although inconsistent, indicate that younger age groups (18 – 25 yrs) showed more pronounced cyberchondria levels (in 2016 and 2023). No differences were found between persons with or without a chronic disease at any time point. Although this research has its limitations, the obtained findings raise awareness of cyberchondria, especially for the identified vulnerable groups (women and younger adults) and Internet use in the context of health information and potential dangers that may arise from it, with a special emphasis within the context of a global health crisis.

• Keywords: kiberohondrija; zdravstvena anksioznost; uzastopna mjerenja na nezavisnim uzorcima; COVID-19 pandemija; Kratka skala kiberohondrije
• Keywords (english): cyberchondria; health anxiety; repeated cross-sectional design; COVID-19; Short Cyberchondria Scale
• Language: croatian
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:131:670334
• Study programme: Title: Psychology; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra psihologije (magistar/magistra psihologije)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2023-09-27 17:37:39