What question did this study set out to answer?

To determine whether hypochondriasis is characterized by a heightened perceived risk of developing medical diseases and facing other physical hazards.

May 1, 2001American Journal of Psychiatry

Hypochondriacal Patients’ Appraisal of Health and Physical Risks

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Authors

ABArthur J. BarskyBrigham and Women's Hospital DADavid K. AhernUniversity of Oxford EBEric BaileyJames J. Peters VA Medical Center

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Implication

Observational study reveals heightened disease risk appraisal in primary care patients with hypochondriasis, suggesting distorted risk perception is a potential target for cognitive therapy.

Key Points

To determine whether hypochondriasis is characterized by a heightened perceived risk of developing medical diseases and facing other physical hazards.
Compared 56 primary care patients meeting DSM-III-R criteria for hypochondriasis with 127 nonhypochondriacal controls from the same clinic setting.
Administered self-report instruments evaluating perceived susceptibility to medical illnesses, accidental injury, criminal assault, and the tendency to amplify benign somatic sensations.
Both cohorts exhibited an optimistic bias by rating their overall hazard risk lower than peers of the same age and sex, but hypochondriacal patients reported significantly higher total risk scores than controls.
The elevated risk appraisal among hypochondriacal patients was specific to medical illnesses, with no significant differences observed between groups for accidents or criminal victimization.
Elevated perceived risk of disease demonstrated a significant positive association with the amplification of benign bodily sensations.

Cite This Study

Barsky et al. (2001) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6aa809ee1a27575409ae5c59 https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.158.5.783

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Implication

Observational study reveals heightened disease risk appraisal in primary care patients with hypochondriasis, suggesting distorted risk perception is a potential target for cognitive therapy.

Hypochondriacal Patients’ Appraisal of Health and Physical Risks

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Hypochondriacal Patients’ Appraisal of Health and Physical Risks

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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