Prevalence and determinants of nosophobia among medical students of Wah Medical College

BACKGROUND: Fear of developing a serious illness, known as nosophobia, has been reported among medical students-sometimes called the medical student syndrome. The high density of disease-related knowledge may predispose students to ill health anxiety, which can negatively undermine academic performance and mental health. The medical college in Pakistan has little data about nosophobia despite the global studies. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and the factors associated with the students in Wah Medical College. METHODOLOGY: It was a cross-sectional study done among 315 MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery), Nursing, and MLT (Medical Laboratory Technology) students at Wah Medical College. Their data were obtained through a structured online questionnaire (Google Forms) containing demographic and behavioral factors, and the Whiteley Index (WI-14) to help examine nosophobia and health-related anxiety. Whiteley Index scores were categorized as 0-4 (no anxiety), 5-7 (subclinical health anxiety), and ≥ 8 (nosophobia). Associations were tested with chi-square (p < 0.05 significant); adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were computed via multinomial logistic regression controlling for age, gender, and program. Data were collected in May 2025 and analyzed in June 2025. RESULTS: Nosophobia was found in 16.5% (95% CI 12.4-20.6%) of students, while 28.3% (95% CI 23.3-33.3%) had sub-clinical health anxiety and 55.2% (95% CI 49.7-60.7%) exhibited no anxiety. History of serious illness (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.0, 1.1-3.8 vs. no history) and hostel residence (AOR 3.5, 1.6-7.5) significantly predicted nosophobia; no associations with gender, age, or year of study. CONCLUSION: Nosophobia is a relevant mental health concern among medical students, particularly those with personal illness histories and living away from home.