{"id":12039,"date":"2017-03-09T08:03:34","date_gmt":"2017-03-09T08:03:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/?p=12039"},"modified":"2017-03-09T08:03:34","modified_gmt":"2017-03-09T08:03:34","slug":"is-health-anxiety-aka-hypochondria-common-in-people-with-cfs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/is-health-anxiety-aka-hypochondria-common-in-people-with-cfs\/","title":{"rendered":"Is health anxiety aka hypochondria common in people with CFS?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hypochondria (health anxiety)<\/strong> is excessive worrying about your health, to the point where it causes great distress and affects your everyday life.<\/p>\n

Some people with health anxiety have a medical condition, which they worry about excessively. Others have\u00a0medically unexplained symptoms, such as\u00a0chest pain or headaches, which they are concerned may be a sign of a serious illness, despite the doctor’s reassurance.\u00a0\u00a0 [from: NHS Direct Wales<\/a>]<\/p>\n

Research from the Bristol Chronic Fatigue Syndrome\/ME Service<\/a> and Department of Psychology, University of Bath<\/a>, UK:<\/h3>\n

Abstract:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Objectives:
\nThere is a lack of research examining the incidence of health anxiety in\u00a0chronic fatigue syndrome\/ myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS\/ME), despite\u00a0this being an important research area with potentially significant\u00a0clinical implications. This preliminary study aimed to determine the\u00a0incidence of anxiety and depression, more specifically health anxiety,\u00a0in a sample of CFS\/ME patients over a 3-month period.<\/p>\n

Design:
\nThe research was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study, using a\u00a0consecutive sample of patients who were assessed in a CFS\/ME service.<\/p>\n

Method:
\nData were taken from the Short Health Anxiety Inventory and the Hospital\u00a0Anxiety and Depression Scale to identify incidence of anxiety,\u00a0depression, and health anxiety.<\/p>\n

Results:
\nData were collected from 45 CFS\/ME patients over the sampling period.\u00a0Thirty-one patients (68.9%) scored above the normal range but within the\u00a0subclinical range of health anxiety, and 19 patients (42.2%) scored\u00a0within the clinically significant health anxiety range. Anxiety and\u00a0depression were common, with prevalence rates of 42.2% and 33.3%\u00a0respectively, which is comparable to data found in a recent large-scale\u00a0trial.<\/p>\n

Conclusions:
\nHealth anxiety in CFS\/ME patients is likely to be common and warrants\u00a0further investigation to provide a better insight into how this may\u00a0influence treatment and symptom management.<\/p>\n

Practitioner points<\/strong><\/p>\n