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Dark side consequences of cyberchondria: an empirical investigation

Abdul Wahid Khan (Indian Institute of Management Indore, Indore, India)
Jatin Pandey (Indian Institute of Management Indore, Indore, India)

Aslib Journal of Information Management

ISSN: 2050-3806

Article publication date: 14 February 2022

Issue publication date: 5 September 2022

690

Abstract

Purpose

Cyberchondria refers to the repeated and excessive search for health-related information online, associated with increased health anxiety. This paper utilizes the protection motivation theory to investigate the negative behavioral consequences of cyberchondria that pose health risks to users, such as trust in the physician, propensity to self-medicate, and therapy compliance.

Design/methodology/approach

The data for the study were collected from a sample of 317 participants in India using an online survey and form. The analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling.

Findings

Cyberchondria negatively affects the trust in physician and positively affects the propensity to self-medicate. Trust in physician negatively affects the propensity to self-medicate and positively affects therapy compliance. Furthermore, trust in physician partially mediates the relationship between cyberchondria and the propensity to self-medicate and completely mediates the relationship between cyberchondria and therapy compliance. Cyberchondria has no direct significant effect on therapy compliance.

Research limitations/implications

Researchers need to examine other behavioral or psychological factors affected by the reduced trust in physicians due to cyberchondria.

Practical implications

Physicians and health care providers should refocus on patients with cyberchondria and regain their trust through quality interactions and services. Policymakers may consider regulating online health information publication to set the standards of information quality and source. Websites and platforms publishing health information online should distinctly label verified information.

Originality/value

This study investigates the damaging effects of cyberchondria's behavioral consequences that pose health risks to users.

Keywords

Citation

Khan, A.W. and Pandey, J. (2022), "Dark side consequences of cyberchondria: an empirical investigation", Aslib Journal of Information Management, Vol. 74 No. 5, pp. 801-817. https://doi.org/10.1108/AJIM-08-2021-0222

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited

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