Clinical study of illness anxiety disorder in medical outpatients

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Aim of the study To find out the prevalence of illness anxiety disorder (hypochondriasis) in medical outpatients and the risk factors and psychiatric co morbidities associated with it. Subject or material and methods 400 consecutive medical outpatients were asked for socio demographic characteristics and risk factors associated with illness anxiety and were given Short Health anxiety inventory (SHAI). Psychiatric co-morbidities were assessed using Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I). People who scored 18 or above in SHAI, the diagnosis of Illness anxiety disorder was confirmed by using DSM 5 criteria for illness anxiety disorder (IAD). The data was analyzed by using SPSS version 17, Chi square and t test. Results The prevalence of IAD was 7%. Around 18% patients with IAD had positive family history for hypochondriasis. 32.1% of the patients had a history of abuse in the childhood. 71.4% of the patients had psychiatric co morbidities. 25% patients with IAD had co morbid depression and 28.6% had anxiety spectrum disorder. Discussion The range of prevalence of hypochondriasis is 0.4 to 14% in various studies and it is more common in third and fourth decade. Significant risk factors include divorce, family histrory and history of abuse. 65-88% of patients with hypochondriasis have psychiatric comorbidities like depression and anxiety disorders. Managing psychiatric comorbidities and early treatment of both will lead to better prognosis. Conclusions The anxiety of having a serious medical illness is reasonably high in patients attending medical O.P.D. About three fourth of these patients had co morbid psychiatric condition, mostly depression and anxiety disorders.

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