부산대학교 도서관

Aims: To find out the prevalence of illness anxiety disorder (hypochondriasis) in medical outpatients as well as the associated risk factors and psychiatric comorbidities. Method: 400 consecutive medical outpatients were asked about sociodemographic characteristics and risk factors associated with illness anxiety and filled in the Short Health Anxiety Inventory (SHAI). Psychiatric comorbidities were assessed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). A score of 18 or above on SHAI indicated illness anxiety disorder (IAD), which was then confirmed using DSM-5 criteria. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 17, Chi squared and Student's t-test. Results: The prevalence of IAD in the sample was 7%. Around 18% of patients with IAD had positive family history for hypochondriasis; 32.1% had a history of abuse in childhood; 71.4% of patients had psychiatric comorbidities - 25% had depression and 28.6% had anxiety spectrum disorder. Discussion: The prevalence of hypochondriasis ranges from 0.4 to 14% in various studies and it is more common in the third and fourth decade of life. Significant risk factors include divorce, family history and history of abuse. Between 65 and 88% of patients with hypochondriasis have psychiatric comorbidities such as depression and anxiety disorders. Managing psychiatric comorbidities and early treatment of both will lead to better prognosis. Conclusion: The anxiety of having a serious medical illness is reasonably high in patients attending medical outpatients departments. About three-quarters of these patients had a comorbid psychiatric condition, mostly depression and anxiety disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]