The Age of Cyberchondria

The internet is a source of valuable medical information. However, it has the potential to increase anxiety in people who have no medical training, when it is employed as a diagnostic procedure. While hypochondriasis is a condition that is familiar in the medical literature, there is little research into the effects of technology on health anxiety and hypochondria. The literature supports the view that technology impacts on the management of one’s health and on the traditional doctor-patient relationships. Anxiety induced by health-related online search is an increasingly differentiated activity and is known in the field of cyberpsychology as cyberchondria. This literature review aims to evaluate a broad range of research studies concerning health anxiety, hypochondria, online medical information seeking and the emerging phenomenon of cyberchondria. Themes identified include: technology-facilitated health information seeking; the impact of medical online search on traditional doctor-patient relationships in the consultation process; the need for better health management; and, medical knowledge empowerment of patients. Aspects of health-related information-seeking behaviour relevant for cyberpsychology are also considered. The latest recommendations of the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders V (DSM-V) working party regarding future classification of hypochondria and technology-facilitated symptom seeking are reported. Recommendations for further research include a large-scale study to assess the prevalence and nature of cyberchondria. The findings of the review are relevant for healthcare professionals, as the impact of the internet on patient behaviour and healthcare management is likely to increase steadily over time

Clinical Fellowship for an Innovative, Integrated BSN-PhD Program: An Academic and Practice Partnership

Opportunities for research-focused doctoral education must be available to nurses early in their careers in order to ensure the further development of nursing science. Early entry into the research doctorate through an integrated BSN-PhD program is one innovative approach. This approach highlights the value of integrating post-licensure clinical training into the doctoral curriculum. To better prepare innovative nurse scientists early in their careers we developed a clinical nurse fellowship within an integrated BSN-PhD program in partnership with an affiliated health system. The aims of this clinical fellowship are to integrate post-licensure clinical experience with academic preparation, cultivate scholarly reflection on the connections between research and practice, educate nurse researchers to work effectively in interdisciplinary teams, and develop nurses\u27 contributions to health care innovation. Major considerations for the development of similar clinical training opportunities include clarifying and articulating the major aims of the fellowship, enlisting the support of executive clinical leadership, and placing fellows on nursing units with experienced and advanced nursing teams and management that supports the fellowship\u27s aims. We emphasize the fully integrated and collaborative activities, decision-making, and commitment required of both academic and health system partners to successfully implement similar clinical training opportunities

The Vehicle, 1969, Vol. 11 no. 1

Vol. 11, No. 1 Table of Contents PhotoJeff Nelsonpage 4 The Dancing BodLukepage 5 The Hide-OutEleanor Aikenpage 6 DrawingLawrence Unfriedpage 7 Rain-Drunk Midnight ManiaThomas W. Reapage 9 What I\u27m Supposed To Say About WarMichael G. McKeepage 10 Sinking LashesThomas W. Reapage 10 CandleThomas W. Reapage 10 Nervous ChaperoneThomas W. Reapage 10 Formless Beauty Left To DryThomas W. Reapage 10 MasqueradeThomas W. Reapage 10 Mad JohnJames Jonespage 11 Black RacistJames Jonespage 12 HandsLawrence Unfriedpage 13 The Real Jonathan T. WillwickCharles Whitepage 14 A Cold Afternoon In JanuaryCharles Whitepage 16 Crumpled PaperLawrence Unfriedpage 16 ImpressionMichael G. McKeepage 18 The HunterMary Ann Spidelpage 19 PhotoJeff NelsonCaptionMichael G. McKeepage 20https://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1019/thumbnail.jp