Health anxiety in patients presenting to Psychiatry outpatient department of a Tertiary care hospital during COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND: Corona virus disease-2019(covid-19) pandemic has had a huge impact on mental health of individuals across the world. Many studies assessed the psychological impact of the pandemic across various demographic groups. Present study attempted to assess health anxiety in patients presenting to psychiatry outpatient department during the pandemic. AIM: To study health anxiety during covid-19 pandemic among patients presenting to psychiatry outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted between May and August2021 in the psychiatric out-patient department of medical college hospital after approval from institutional ethics committee. A semi-structured proforma with covid-19 related questions and Short Health Anxiety inventory (SHAI) were applied after obtaining written informed consent from participants. RESULTS: Mean health-anxiety score of the participants was 24.5±8.7. 60% of the study participants never tested positive for covid and recorded higher health anxiety scores. 35% of them delayed their visit to the outpatient department due to fear of contacting covid. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to identify health anxiety and its effects on patients during a pandemic and address issues such as delay in seeking first consultation and follow-up due to fear of contacting infection and apply this knowledge to future pandemics.