Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40629850›Full record

ArticleThe British journal of clinical psychology2026

Illness anxiety disorder: A qualitative study of people with health anxiety and their experiences seeking and avoiding medical care.

Katarina Kikas, Aliza Werner-Seidler, Brittany Corkish, Emily Upton, Monique Holden, Jill M Newby

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in The British journal of clinical psychology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Katarina KikasBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-4631
Aliza Werner-SeidlerBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Brittany CorkishBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3126-1141
Emily UptonBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Monique HoldenBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Jill M NewbyBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Funding

National Health and Medical Research Council
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveIllness anxiety disorder (IAD) has two subtypes in the DSM-5: 'care-seeking' and 'care-avoidant', with a third subtype, 'care fluctuating' identified in previous research. This study explores the experiences of individuals with IAD when seeking and avoiding medical care. DESIGN AND

methodsWe recruited self-identified health-anxious individuals via online social media advertisements. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire and a diagnostic interview assessing IAD and comorbidities. Participants meeting IAD criteria (N = 37, mean age = 39, 76% female) completed a qualitative interview about their experiences seeking and avoiding medical care, analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.

resultsParticipants reported that internal and external factors influenced help-seeking behaviours. Internal factors were physical symptoms, worry, fear, reassurance-seeking, and the motivation to stay healthy for their children. External factors included past experiences with health professionals, cost of care, and a busy lifestyle. Worry about missing a serious disease, symptom severity, and emotional fatigue from repeated care-seeking contributed to fluctuations in help-seeking. Negative past experiences with health professionals also impacted willingness to seek medical care.

conclusionsReasons behind different help-seeking behaviours in IAD are complex. This study provides insight into the help-seeking experiences of individuals with IAD and the factors influencing these behaviours, which can inform targeted treatment approaches for IAD.

Indexed as

Anxiety DisordersHelp-Seeking BehaviorPatient Acceptance of Health CareAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchYoung Adultdiagnostic criteriahealth anxietyhealthcarehelp‐seekingillness anxiety disordersomatoform disorder

Identifiers

PMID40629850
PMCPMC12889205

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.