Gambaran Cyberchondria pada Remaja di SMA Muhammadiyah 3 Jember

Abstract

Introduction: The rapid development of technology has made the internet a primary source of health information for adolescents because of its easy accessibility and vast amount of available information. However, excessive and repetitive online health information seeking may increase the risk of cyberchondria, a condition that can negatively affect adolescents' psychological development and health behaviours and may lead to self-diagnosis and self-treatment. This study aimed to describe cyberchondria among adolescents at SMA Muhammadiyah 3 Jember. Method: This quantitative study used a descriptive observational design with a total of 165 students from SMA Muhammadiyah 3 Jember participated in the study. Data were collected using a respondent characteristics questionnaire and the CSS-12. Result: The respondents were aged 14–17 years and were predominantly male. Most respondents used the internet for > 4 hours per day, had no history of illness, and had parents with tertiary education. Most adolescents had low levels of cyberchondria, followed by moderate levels. Excessiveness and distress were the most prominent dimensions, whereas reassurance and compulsion showed low tendencies. Conclusion: These findings emphasize the importance of enhancing adolescents' digital health literacy competencies to support informed health information-seeking practices and mitigate the risk of cyberchondria.