Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
21st Congress of the European Society of Dermatology and Psychiatry & 1st World Congress of Psychodermatology, İstanbul, Türkiye, 28 - 31 Mayıs 2025, cilt.19, ss.112-113, (Özet Bildiri)
Aim: Acne vulgaris is one of the most common dermatological disorders, affecting individuals of various age groups and often leading to significant psychological distress. In parallel, the increasing use of the internet for health related information has contributed to the emergence of cyberchondria, a phenomenon characterized by excessive online searching for medical information, resulting in heightened health anxiety. This study aims to investigate the relationship between acne severity and cyberchondria levels, hypothesizing that individuals with more severe acne exhibit higher levels of cyberchondria. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 150 patients diagnosed with acne vulgaris. Acne severity was assessed using the Global Acne Grading System (GAGS), the Food and Drug Administration-recommended global staging system, and patients’ self-assessment of acne severity (PA). Cyberchondria was evaluated using the Short Form Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS-SF). Pearson correlation analysis was performed to explore the associations between acne severity and cyberchondria levels. Results: The mean age of participants was 22.65±4.91 years, and 63.3% were female (Table 1). The mean GAGS score was 29.32±11.13, and the mean cyberchondria score (CSS-SF) was 33.91±13.14 (Table 2). Correlation analysis demonstrated statistically significant positive associations between acne severity and cyberchondria levels across all assessment methods (P < 0.01) (Table 3). Patients who perceived their acne as more severe exhibited the highest cyberchondria scores. Additionally, acne severity assessed by clinical grading also correlated significantly with cyberchondria, suggesting that both objective and subjective acne severity play a role in online health related anxiety. Conclusion: This study demonstrates a significant positive relationship between acne severity and cyberchondria, indicating that as acne severity increases, so does the tendency for excessive online health-related searches and anxiety. The strongest correlation was observed between patients’ subjective acne severity perception and cyberchondria (r = 0.779, P < 0.01), suggesting that self-perceived acne severity may be more influential in driving cyberchondria than clinical grading alone. Similar findings have been reported in dermatological conditions such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, where increased disease severity correlates with heightened health anxiety and online medical information-seeking behavior. Given that cyberchondria can lead to excessive worry, self-diagnosis, and decreased adherence to prescribed treatments, it is crucial to address this issue in acne management. Healthcare professionals should incorporate psychological assessment and digital health literacy education into acne treatment protocols, ensuring that patients receive accurate information and are guided towards evidence-based dermatological care. Cognitive-behavioral interventions and structured educational programs may help mitigate the negative impact of cyberchondria, improving patient outcomes. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to explore the causality between acne severity and cyberchondria, as well as investigate the role of social media and online dermatological self-diagnosis platforms in amplifying this behavior. By adopting a holistic, patient-centered approach, clinicians can improve treatment adherence, reduce psychological distress, and enhance overall patient satisfaction.