Sapporo Medical Journal

Abstract : The current study aimed to determine the prevalence of Cyberchondria severity among late adolescent female participants and correlate factors that may cause internet-based anxiety among participants. The study investigates model internal reliability, items statistics and correlation between different factors. The cross-sectional pilot study was conducted between 1st February 2021 till 29th June 2021. The study was conducted under self-administered mode among the late adolescence female general population in Malaysia. The data was collected using the twelve-item Cyberchondria severity scale (CSS-12) to assess the internet searching anxiety among general female populations aged 18-24 years. The total included participants according to the eligible criteria was eighty-eight (n= 88). (36.4%) of the population tended to search for information if they feel unexplained bodily sensation, and (43.2%) of the population tended to read information about the same perceived conditions from different web pages. The internal reliability of the model was (α=0.848), whereas Cronbach's Alpha, based on the standardized item were (α=0.845). A correlation were observed between different factors (i.e. excessiveness, compulsion, distress, reassurance and mistrust)In conclusion, the prevalence of Cyberchondria were moderate in late adolescent female in Malaysia. More attention should be directed toward detecting psychological changes in these vulnerable individuals.