Health Anxiety Disorder and Its Impact on Health Services Utilization: A Narrative Review Article

Health anxiety disorder Utilization Health services utilization Psychosomatic disorders

Authors

  • Masoud Ferdosi
    goliaghili@gmail.com
    Associate Professor, Department of Health Services Management, School of Management and Medical Information, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
  • Hamid Afshar Professor, Psychosomatic Research Center AND Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
  • Mohammad Reza Sharbafchi Assistant Professor, Psychosomatic Research Center AND Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
  • Golnoosh Aghili-Dehkordi MSc Student, Department of Health Services Management, School of Management and Medical Information, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Vol 5, No 3: 2018
Review Article(s)
December 9, 2018

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Health anxiety disorder (HAD) is defined as anxiety about having a serious illness or fear of a serious illness, despite the assurances of doctors to the contrary. The purpose of this study was to review HAD, its diagnostic criteria, and its impact on health services utilization in a review article in 2018. For this aim, articles in ProQuest, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and ISI Web of Science databases were selected without a publication time limit, and then, data on the nature, diagnostic criteria, and the effect of HAD on health services utilization were extracted. HAD is a relatively common disorder that persists in the absence of suitable management and results in excessive utilization of health services, avoidance of health care, and disruption of the function of individuals. Therefore, with early diagnosis, repetition of counseling, clinical trials, and the use of health services is avoidable and will prevent cost increases. Consequently it is better to have consensus on the diagnosis criteria of this disorder and, if diagnosed, the person is treated.

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