From Perceived Health Threat to Cyberchondria: The Mediating Role of Health Anxiety, Perceived Information Insufficiency, and Online Health Information Seeking

Abstract

Present study re-tested the antecedents and mediating factors of cyberchondria explored by Zheng et al. (2021) in Pakistani youth. In first phase, only the pathway from health threat to cyberchondria mediated by health anxiety, sufficiency of information and health information seeking online was evaluated using serial mediation analysis. The study was conducted on 555 young adults, including both genders. Perceived health threat positively predicted health anxiety which further positively predicted insufficiency of information, OHIS and cyberchondria. Information insufficiency also positively predicted OHIS which further positively predicted cyberchondria. Consistent with Zheng et al. (2021), the serial mediation analysis using model 6 of process macro indicated evidence of significant mediation. The direct effect of health threat on cyberchondria was not significant. Among the single mediator paths, only health anxiety showed significant mediation. Significant sequential mediations were found through health anxiety with OHIS, information insufficiency with OHIS and the combined three-mediator pathway. The findings underscore the need to address the key antecedent and mediating factors in the advancement and escalation of cyberchondria.