Evaluation of Cyberchondria, E-Health Literacy, and Psychological Status in Patients with Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Pilot Study
Keywords:
Anxiety Disorders, Cyberchondria, Diabetes Mellitus, Diabetic Foot, Health LiteracyAbstract
Purpose: This study was designed to assess the levels of cyberchondria, e-health literacy, and psychological status in patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs).
Methods: This pilot study involved 33 participants aged 18 years and older who had a diagnosis of DFU for a minimum duration of three months, with sociodemographic and clinical information obtained through a structured questionnaire. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected via a structured questionnaire. Participants completed the Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS), E-Health Literacy Scale, and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Descriptive statistics will be used in the evaluation of the data.
Results: The mean age of the participants was 55.48±14.95 years, and the majority were male (81.8%). Participants’ cyberchondria levels were low across all subscales and eHealth literacy scores were low (11.39±9.00). Their psychological symptom levels were moderate based on their DASS-21 total score (15.82±11.84). Most participants reported little or no internet use, with 69.7% reporting never searching online for health information. Furthermore, 93.9% did not follow any health-related social media platforms and would not recommend online health research to others.
Conclusion: Patients with DFUs exhibited low levels of cyberchondria and e-health literacy, and moderate levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Low internet use, older age, male dominance, and low educational background may contribute to these findings. Despite the growing digitalization in healthcare, this population may face significant barriers in accessing and utilizing reliable online health information. Multidisciplinary DFU care should incorporate not only medical treatment but also psychological support and digital health literacy education.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Hüseyin Atçeken, Hatice Coşgun, Kübra Coşkun, Hilal Yavuz, Murat Ali Çınar
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