PREVALENCE OF HEALTH ANXIETY IN OUTPATIENTS AT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HEALTHCARE FACILITIES IN KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

Abstract

This study examined the prevalence of health anxiety among patients attending general outpatient departments in both public and private hospitals in Kabul. To facilitate this investigation, the Health Anxiety Questionnaire (HAQ), originally developed by Lucock and Morley (1996), was translated and adapted into Urdu to cater to the linguistic needs of the population. The reliability and validity analyses affirmed that the Urdu version of the HAQ is a standardized instrument for assessing health anxiety in this demographic. In the second phase of the research, 176 patients were sampled, with ages ranging from 21 to 60 years (M = 44.93; SD = 8.44). Data was collected through a demographic information sheet and the Health Anxiety Questionnaire. Statistical results indicated that most patients experienced moderate levels of health anxiety. Notably, women reported higher levels of anxiety related to their  health compared to men, particularly in terms of health concerns, preoccupation with illness and death, reassurance-seeking behavior, and the impact on daily life. The findings suggest a need for integrating psychological assessments and interventions when addressing physical health complaints among patients.