Exploring health anxiety among healthcare professionals: a scoping review and exploratory quantitative summary of health anxiety findings

Abstract

Health anxiety (HA) is characterised by an excessive fear or preoccupation with illness, often accompanied by a persistent belief in having a serious condition, despite medical reassurance. Among those affected, HA can significantly impact mental and physical wellbeing. While HA has been extensively studied in the general population, the extent of HA and its characteristics among health care professionals (HCPs) remain under-investigated. Yet, emerging evidence suggests HA may constitute an occupational hazard for HCPs, particularly during periods of heightened stress such as the Covid-19 pandemic. Although effective treatments for HA exist, the aetiology, risk factors and optimal interventions for HA in HCPs are not well understood. To address this gap, we conducted a scoping review supplemented by an exploratory quantitative summary of HA in HCPs, following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. We aimed to examine the extent, contributing factors, and potential interventions for HA in HCPs. Our scoping review included 35 peer-reviewed articles, of which 29 were conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic. Nineteen studies met criteria for the exploratory quantitative summary of HA, which generated a pooled estimate of HA in HCPs, albeit with extreme between-study heterogeneity (I 2 = 99.8%). Given this limitation, these estimates remain exploratory and reflect wide variability across populations and contexts. Context-dependent factors including age, profession, gender, and sociodemographic characteristics were associated with HA in HCPs. Using the Cognitive Model of HA as a conceptual framework, we explore the possibility that elevated HA in HCPs may reflect processes consistent with vicarious trauma. This review highlights the urgency of acknowledging HA in HCPs as an occupational safety issue within the healthcare workforce. Further research is essential to elucidate its underlying mechanisms and develop strategies for both prevention and treatment of HA in HCPs. Not applicable.