The term “hypochondria” refers to Hypochondriasis— “a psychiatric disorder

Involving a preoccupation with fears of having, or the idea that one has, a serious disease based on the misinterpretation of bodily symptoms despite appropriate medical evaluation and reassurance [1,2]. Young medical students are exposed to severe stress imposed by the environment [3]. They are also more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety and other mental disorders than their peers [4].The condition that is characterized by these hypochondriac Concerns amongst medical students  been addressed in literature by different terms, including health anxiety Medical Students Disease (MSD), medical student syndrome and nosophobia [5]. The gender difference of neurotic disorder in clinical students is additionally supported by means of various different researches completed in different medical college in which females had a greater level of depression than Males [6-8] Studies have reported that health-related anxiety is more common in the early years and reduces as clinical exposure starts during later years of medical training, which may be the reason behind the lower prevalence of health anxiety found in few studies involving final year students [9,10].

There are only a few studies which explored health anxiety in the medical students in Iraq and assessed the effect of clinical exposure on health anxiety during medical training. Therefore, it was worth exploring and comparing health anxiety between preclinical and clinical years of medical trainees in Iraq [11].

Aim of the study:

The main objective of this research was to investigate about Hypochondriasis among the Iraqi student population in dental and medical colleagues.

Study Design, Setting and Duration of Study

The study was conducted based on the dental and medical students. 135 students were answered the questioners designed especially for this study. The participants were informed about the purpose of the study and undertook to participate in it voluntarily.  The age group range from (19 year -24 year ).The data were collected from November 2021 to March 2022, College of dentistry – Ibn sina university of medical and  pharmaceutical sciences, In Baghdad-Iraq.

Methods

Since there is no existing questionnaire dedicated to medical student disease, a separate self-explanatory questionnaire was developed, based on diagnostic criteria of Illness Anxiety Disorder, hypochondria and phobias, containing questions about the symptoms of hypochondria.

Survey Questionnaire

The questions used in the survey had a multiple choice for the participants to choose, the questions aimed to recognize the prevalence of anxiety among students 

1. Do you worry about your health?
2. Does the thought of a serious illness scare you?
3. If you have pain. Do you worry about a serious illness?
4. If a pain lasts for a week or more do you see a physician?
5. Do you examine your body to find whether there is something wrong?
6. When your doctor says you have no disease; do you refuse to believe it?
7. When your doctor tells you what was found, do you believe you have it?
8. Are you afraid of news which reminds you of death?
9. Does the thought of death scare you?
10. Are you afraid that you may die soon?
11. Are you afraid that you may have cancer, heart disease?
12. Are you afraid that you may have another serious illness?
13. When you read or hear about an illness, do you get similar symptoms?
14. When you feel a sensation in your body, do you worry about it?
15. How often do you see a doctor?
16. Do your bodily symptoms stop you from concentrating?
17. Do your bodily symptoms stop you from working?
18. Do your bodily symptoms stop you from enjoying yourself?
19. Do you examine your body to find if there is smoothing wrong?
20. Do you avoid foods which may not healthy?

The data was entered using MS Excel and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences.

The survey was taken by a total of 135 students. The sample consisted mainly of women, representing 71.1% of the entire cohort. Males accounted for 28.9%.. It was found that almost half of the students had a moderate worry about their health and Hypochondriasis.

The responses of both medical, dental and other college’s students to Hypochondriasis scale were:

1- Their worry about their health as we see (40.7%) n = 55 of them had a moderate worry about their health.

2- For about (33.3%) n = 45 of them had a moderate thoughts about serious illness scare them.

3- When there's a pain (29.6%) n = 40 of them show a little worry about serious illness.

4- If they pain lasts for a week (27.4%) n = 37 of them will extremely go to see the physician.

5- When there's a check-up for about (30.4%) n = 41of them had not at all worry if there's something wrong as in their bodies.

6-When the doctor tell them that there's no disease (48.1%) n = 65 of them had not at all refuse to believe the doctor.

7-When the doctor tell them there's something (33.3%) n = 45 had a quiet a lot to believe they had this disease.

8- About (35.6%) n = 48 of participants show not at all afraid from news that remained them of death.

9- (29.6%) n = 40 had not at all scare from death.

10- Relatively n = 50 (37%) of them had not at all afraid from die soon.

11- About (30.4%) n = 41 of them had not at all afraid if they had cancer or heart disease.

12-(29.6%) n= 40 of them had a little afraid if they had another serious illness.

13-About (40.7%) n = 55 had not at all feeling that they have this disease when they read or hear about it symptoms.

14-(36.3%) n = 49 had a little worry when they feel a sensation in their bodies.

15-More than half of participants (55.6%) n = 75 go to see the doctor for a little.

16-(34.1%) n = 46 had a little bodily symptoms that stop them from concentrating.            

17-(34.1%) n = 46 of participants their bodily symptoms stop them a little from working.

18-About (28.9%) n = 39 of them their bodily symptoms stop them a little from enjoying themselves.

19- A little of participants (35.6%) n = 48 examine their bodies to find if there's something wrong.

20-About (36.3%) n = 49 of them will not at all avoid the foods which not healthy.

In a study conducted by Dr. M. Hardy and Dr. L. Calhoun they investigated psychological distress in students studying abnormal psychology. The study found that students studying psychology were more worried about their psychological health compared to students who didn't study psychology [9]. Govindarajan Sumathy   et al., 2020 study obtained results (found that only about 3/4th of the students were actually aware the Hypochondriasis). Were slightly similar although the study conducted by Dr. Hardy and Dr. Calhoun revolved around psychological health [9,12]. A study conducted by Dr. Oliver Howes and Dr. Paul Salkovskis found that Hypochondriasis was prevalent in 70% of the student population studying medicine. In their second study they found that 79% of the medical students they had chosen for their study had demonstrated a history of Hypochondriasis. The study conducted by Dr. Oliver Howes and Dr. Paul Salkovskis showed  higher percentages compared to the Govindarajan Sumathy   et al., 2020.results [9,12]. In  the  study conducted by Dr. Ingrid Candel and Dr. Harald Merckelbach ,they found that gender and age were not significant [12].

Another study conducted by Dr. G. Singh and colleagues which was published in 2004 examined whether being at a medical school causes anxiety and worry in students. They used a total of 449 medical students and 485 non-medical students across four years of study and their health anxiety was evaluated using the Health Anxiety Questionnaire. They found no evidence to prove that medical school causes more anxiety and fear. In fact, it was found that the anxiety levels of medical students were lower compared to non-medical students [12].

The study is found the students were actually aware of Hypochondriasis. The present study will also be useful in finding research on Hypochondriasis. More research with bigger samples, better control groups, and better control for pre-existing medical problems are needed , as there does appear to be some evidence that such conditions exist even if there may be good explanations as to why. 

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