Health anxiety following subarachnoid hemorrhage: preliminary insights from a neuropsychology care pathway

Background Psychological distress is common following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Although anxiety is frequently reported, specific subtypes have not been examined in this population. This study describes health anxiety and its association with psychosocial outcomes among individuals with SAH.Methods A secondary analysis was conducted using routine follow-up data from a neuropsychology care pathway. Data from individuals with SAH (71 observations from 60 individuals; mean age = 63.46; 25% male; 72% aneurysmal SAH) were analyzed. Health anxiety was measured with the Short Health Anxiety Inventory (SHAI), alongside other psychosocial measurements. Descriptive statistics summarized SHAI scores, and hierarchical regressions examined psychosocial associations.Results Twenty-eight percent scored ≥18 on the SHAI, 24% ≥20, and 10% ≥27. Demographic and clinical variables accounted for 5% of variance in SHAI scores; inclusion of somatic and psychosocial variables increased this to 88%. Only psychological distress was significantly associated with SHAI scores (r = .39, p < 0.01).Conclusions Around one in four individuals reported elevated health anxiety, with 10% meeting the threshold for clinically significant symptoms. The strongest association was with psychological distress, suggesting health anxiety may represent a target for intervention. Further prospective studies are needed to replicate findings and better understand the role of health anxiety in this population.