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Review Papers | Journalism and Mass Communication | Volume 15 Issue 3, March 2026 | Pages: 1441 - 1445 | India
Thematic Analysis of Cyberchondria in the Asian Population: A Review of Emerging Trends and Psychological Correlates
Abstract: The phenomenon of cyberchondria-defined as the transition from health information seeking to compulsive, anxiety-inducing digital behavior- has reached critical levels across Asia, fueled by a unique digital health paradox where high internet penetration meets varied health literacy. Recent empirical evidence indicates that moderate-to-severe cyberchondria prevalence in general Asian populations ranges from 30.7% to 55.6%, surging to 85.8% among medical students who exhibit a mistrust of medical professionals despite their clinical knowledge (Vismaya et al., 2022). Path analyses from South Asian cohorts reveal that Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) and Maladaptive Metacognitive Beliefs are the primary drivers of this behavior, with health anxiety significantly predicting cyberchondria severity (β= 0.215 to 0.42; p
Keywords: Cyberchondria, Health Anxiety, Online Health Information Seeking, OHIS
How to Cite?: Dr. Jobin Joy, "Thematic Analysis of Cyberchondria in the Asian Population: A Review of Emerging Trends and Psychological Correlates", Volume 15 Issue 3, March 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1441-1445, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26323122603, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26323122603