Abstract
Cyberchondria is a condition where individuals experience excessive anxiety dueto searching for health information online. Cyberchondria has become an
important area of research because of the vast amount of health information that is
readily available on the internet. This study focuses on measuring the level of
cyberchondria among Social Sciences students, as this group is less frequently
studied compared to students in Science and Technology fields. This research
employs a descriptive quantitative method using a questionnaire as the data
collection instrument. The sample consists of 100 randomly selected students from
various departments within the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at
Universitas Airlangga. The results indicate that respondents exhibit a high level of
cyberchondria in the aspect of excessiveness, while in the other three aspects
compulsion, distress, and reassurance they exhibit a moderate level.
Characteristics such as gender, parents' education level, internet speed, devices
used for internet access, existing health problems, actions taken for health
problems, and frequency of internet access were also examined to determine their
correlation with the level of cyberchondria. The findings show that several
characteristics are associated with the cyberchondria experienced by Social
Sciences students when searching for health information online. Relevant parties,
such as the university, libraries, and librarians, are expected to provide health
information both online and offline to help mitigate the potential occurrence of
cyberchondria among students.
| Date of Award | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Original language | Indonesian |
| Supervisor | Faisal Fahmi (Supervisor) |