Prevalence of Cyberchondria Among Students: Special reference to students of Bihar

Cyberchondria is a growing psychological and behavioral problem among young adults in the digital age, characterized by excessive and anxiety-driven internet searches for health information. This study examined the prevalence of Cyberchondria and its differences by gender, academic discipline, and type of institution. 250 students from public, private, and semi-government universities participated in the cross-sectional study. The Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS) was used to collect the data, and one-way ANOVA, independent-samples t-tests, and descriptive statistics were used to evaluate it. A moderate level of Cyberchondria was found (M = 29.61, SD = 9.28). Gender, academic discipline, and type of institution did not differ significantly (p > .05). Regardless of institution or demographic, the results show that Cyberchondria is prevalent among college students. features. These results demonstrate the Cyberchondria is common among college students, irrespective of institutional or demographic factors. These results emphasize how crucial it is to advance digital health literacy and make trustworthy online health information more accessible. Future studies ought to involve larger, more varied samples and longitudinal methodologies. The study adds to the expanding literature regarding digital behaviour and mental health in developing areas of India.