The Relationship Between eHealth Literacy and Cyberchondria: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract Background Cyberchondria, the distress caused by excessive online health information seeking, is an emerging public health issue due to its potential to increase unnecessary healthcare use and associated costs. eHealth literacy, the ability to search for, understand, and critically evaluate online health information, may influence cyberchondria behaviors. This study aimed to assess the level of cyberchondria among adults and explore its relationship with eHealth literacy. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in October 2024 with 403 individuals attending a university hospital. Cyberchondria was measured using the 12-item Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS-12), and eHealth literacy was assessed with the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS). Student's t-test and one-way ANOVA were used to compare CSS-12 scores between groups, and Spearman correlation analysis was applied to examine the relationship between cyberchondria and eHealth literacy. Results The mean age of participants was 35.21 years (SD = 9.95), with 50.4% being male. The mean eHEALS score was 29.24 (SD = 9.32), and the mean CSS-12 score was 32.22 (SD = 7.31). Cyberchondria scores were significantly higher among females (33.15 vs. 31.29, p = 0.010) and individuals with undiagnosed diseases (34.98 vs. 31.99, p = 0.021). Those using the internet for more than 4 hours daily had higher CSS-12 scores (42.94), followed by those using it for 1-3 hours (34.09) and less than 1 hour (24.29), with a significant difference (p < 0.001). A moderate positive correlation was found between cyberchondria and eHealth literacy scores (r = 0.224, p = 0.001). Conclusions Higher eHealth literacy levels were associated with increased cyberchondria. These findings suggest that individuals with higher eHealth literacy may be more prone to cyberchondria. Future research could investigate additional factors influencing cyberchondria and its impact on health behavior. Key messages • A moderate positive relationship exists between eHealth literacy and cyberchondria levels among adults. • Interventions are needed to foster critical online information