Risk of self-harm in patients with hypochondriasis: a population-based cohort study.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Psychology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Hypochondriasis (now known as Illness Anxiety Disorder) is characterized by excessive worry about having or developing a serious illness.
• Previous research has not definitively established whether individuals with hypochondriasis have an increased risk of self-harming behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between a diagnosis of hypochondriasis (HYPO) and the risk of engaging in self-harming behaviors.
• To compare the incidence of self-harm in patients with HYPO against a matched control group.

Main Methods:

• A matched cohort study utilizing electronic health records from Hong Kong public hospitals (1993-2022).
• Identified 906 patients with HYPO and 906 matched controls.
• Followed participants for self-harm diagnosis, death, or end of study (2023), using Cox regression and competing risk analysis.

Main Results:

• Over 30 years, 5.6% of the HYPO group and 5.4% of the control group exhibited self-harm behavior.
• Incidence rates of self-harm were 43.4/10,000 person-years (HYPO) vs. 38.2/10,000 person-years (control).
• Adjusted hazard and subhazard ratios for self-harm in the HYPO group were 0.87 and 0.84, respectively, with no statistical significance (p=0.474).

Conclusions:

• This study found no significant evidence to support an elevated risk of self-harm in individuals diagnosed with hypochondriasis.
• Further research is recommended to confirm these findings and explore potential unique risk factors for self-harm in this population.