Evaluating COVID-19 Related Health Anxiety Among Individuals Referring to Urban Health Centers in Arak, Iran: A Cross-sectional Study

• Main Authors: Pegah Mohaghegh, Ehsan Abedi, Masomeh Sofian, Fatemeh Rafiei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences 2021-02-01
• Series: International Journal of Epidemiologic Research
• Subjects: covid-19; health anxiety; shai; short health anxiety inventory; health centers
• Online Access: http://ijer.skums.ac.ir/article_47858_c8e647784a22afe67f3f94ccd56e6395.pdf

Background and aims: The prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) resulted in health anxiety among general population and unreasonable referring to health centers. This study aimed to assess health anxiety related to COVID-19 in individuals referring to healthcare centers of Arak, Iran in 2020.   Methods: Using convenient sampling method, the participants of this cross-sectional study were selected from 16 urban health centers of Arak. Salkovskis 18-item Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI-18) was completed by 392 participants. The collected data entered in SPSS software version 24 and was analyzed by Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests.   Results: Mean ± SD of total score of health anxiety was 28.96 ± 7.62. Most participants (74.7%) had medium anxiety and 19.1% had high anxiety. The mean of total score of health anxiety was higher in the 30-59 age range, higher education, single people and students. Participants with chronic diseases and symptoms of cold and people who referred to health centers due to COVID-19 screening had a higher anxiety level.   Conclusion: Most people referring to health centers of arak had moderate anxiety. COVID-19-related health anxiety was higher in middle age range, higher education, students, people with chronic diseases, and people with symptoms of common cold.