ArticleJMIR aging2025
Cyberchondria in Older Adults and Its Relationship With Cognitive Fusion, Health-Related Quality of Life, and Mental Well-Being: Mediation Analysis.
Article in JMIR aging, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed.
- Factors Associated With Health Perception and Psychological Well-Being Among Third-Age University Students: Cross-Sectional Study on the Role of Cyberchondria.JMIR human factors · 2026Article
- eHealth literacy, cyberchondria and perceived stress among older adults in primary care: a cross-sectional study.BMC geriatrics · 2026Article
- The mediating role of attitudes to aging in the relationship between information overload, cyberchondria, and influenza vaccine hesitancy among Chinese older adults.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Impact of Cyberchondria on Health and Quality of Life: Scoping Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- Health Literacy and Sociodemographic Determinants of Cyberchondria: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Outpatients of a University Hospital in Turkey.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
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Abstract
backgroundCyberchondria is the compulsive searching for health information online that continues despite harmful effects. It leads to increased health anxiety and lower health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Older adults face higher risks of cyberchondria due to their limited digital literacy skills and more frequent health concerns. However, researchers have not thoroughly studied how cyberchondria affects this age group.
objectiveThis study aimed to explore cyberchondria in the older population and investigate its relationship with cognitive fusion (ie, the tendency to become entangled with thoughts and perceive them as literal truths that dictate behavior), HRQOL, and mental well-being.
methodsA web-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted in May 2024 with a sample of 638 participants from China aged ≥60 years recruited through the online panel of a survey company. The participants completed questionnaires assessing cyberchondria (using the Cyberchondria Severity Scale-12 [CSS-12]), cognitive fusion, HRQOL, and mental well-being. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to assess the hypothesized mediation model, and standardized estimates and their 95% CIs were calculated for all structural paths.
resultsParticipants had a mean CSS-12 score of 40 (SD 8.5), suggesting a fairly high level of cyberchondria in this sample. Participants with a higher socioeconomic status tended to report lower levels of cyberchondria. The SEM showed that cyberchondria was positively associated with cognitive fusion (β=0.505, P<.001 for both models) and negatively associated with HRQOL (β=-0.221, P<.001) and mental well-being (β=-0.212, P<.001). The mediation model showed a good fit and demonstrated that cognitive fusion fully mediated the total effect of cyberchondria on HRQOL and mental well-being.
conclusionsCyberchondria may be more prominent in older Chinese adults, especially those residing in rural areas and with a lower socioeconomic status. Additionally, cyberchondria can enhance cognitive fusion, contributing to poor HRQOL and mental well-being. Interventions focused on "defusing" cyberchondria-relevant thoughts may help reduce maladaptive behaviors associated with cyberchondria and improve the overall well-being of older populations.
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