Illness cognition and health anxiety in parents of children with cancer.

Purpose: Health anxiety is a clinical entity characterized by a pathological fear of illness. Illness cognition refers to persistent positive or negative thoughts an individual has towards illness. Evidence has shown that patients with chronic conditions who possess negative illness cognitions experience greater social, emotional, and physical difficulties than patients with positive illness cognitions. This study aims to measure the prevalence of health anxiety in a population of parents of children with cancer, and investigate the association between positive and negative illness cognitions and health anxiety. Methods: We interviewed 105 parents of children with cancer and administered Arabic versions of the Illness Cognition Questionnaire - Parent Version and the Short Health Anxiety Inventory. Results: The mean parental age was 37.7 years with the majority of participants being mothers (78.1%) and married (94.3%) and with 35.2% having completed university education. The average age of the child with cancer was 8.4 years, with the largest proportion of children suffering from leukemia. The prevalence of health anxiety among parents of children with cancer was 21%. The following two dimensions of illness cognition were significantly associated with health anxiety: Helplessness (B = 0.222, p = 0.021) and lower Acceptance (B = -0.242, p = 0.008). Other variables associated with health anxiety were perceived inadequate income (B = -0.238, p = 0.021) and personal illness or illness of a family member/close friend (B = 0.251, p = 0.013). Conclusions: Parents of children with cancer may experience health anxiety. Predictors of health anxiety include feelings of helplessness, lower acceptance, inadequate income, and extended family illnesses.