Online Health Information Seeking and Cyberchondria Among Men at Risk of HIV Infection: A Moderated Mediation Model.

OBJECTIVES

This study investigates the relationship between HIV/AIDS-related online health information seeking (OHIS) and cyberchondria among Chinese men who have engaged in high-risk sexual behaviors. It proposes a moderated mediation model to explore the role of query escalation as a mediator and intolerance of uncertainty (IU) as a moderator in this relationship.

METHOD

A survey was conducted with 227 men from an online community focused on HIV/AIDS-related fear in China. Participants reported their frequency of OHIS, levels of query escalation and IU, and experiences of cyberchondria. The study employed the PROCESS macro to examine the proposed moderated mediation model.

RESULTS

The findings indicated that frequent OHIS significantly predicts cyberchondria, with query escalation mediating this relationship. Additionally, IU moderates the mediation pathway, weakening the effect of query escalation on cyberchondria when IU is high. This suggests that individuals with high IU are less likely to experience escalating health inquiries and, consequently, cyberchondria.

CONCLUSIONS

The study highlights the complex interaction between OHIS, query escalation, and IU in predicting cyberchondria among high-risk groups. These insights are crucial for designing effective interventions to mitigate cyberchondria by addressing the escalation of health information seeking and managing uncertainty intolerance in this population.