Published online May 19, 2026. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v16.i5.115088
Revised: November 22, 2025
Accepted: February 5, 2026
Published online: May 19, 2026
Processing time: 204 Days and 2.1 Hours
Medical mistrust, defined as a lack of confidence in physicians and healthcare institutions, has been linked to poorer adherence, vaccine hesitancy, and reduced engagement with care. In parallel, cyberchondria, characterized by excessive and anxiety-driven online health information seeking, has emerged as a growing concern, particularly in settings where trust in healthcare systems is strained. In Lebanon, recurrent economic, political, and health system crises may amplify both mistrust and reliance on online sources; however, the relationship between medical mistrust and cyberchondria has not been examined.
To evaluate the relationship between medical mistrust and cyberchondria among Lebanese adults and to examine their association with previous medical errors.
A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between August and October 2022 among 474 Lebanese residents aged ≥ 18 years, recruited using convenience and snowball sampling via social media and community networks. The questionnaire collected sociodemographic data, physical and mental health history, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination status and trust, and previous experiences of misdiagnosis or mistreatment. Medical mistrust was measured with the 17-item Medical Mistrust Index (MMI-17), and cyberchondria with the 12-item Short Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS-12). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-test, analysis of variance, and simple linear regression, with a significance level of P < 0.05.
The sample was predominantly young adults, with a slight female majority and over half being students. Higher MMI-17 scores were observed among males, participants aged 26 years to 35 years, those reporting mental health conditions, individuals who lacked trust in the COVID-19 vaccine, and those with a history of misdiagnosis, mistreatment, loss of a relative due to medical error, or preference for herbal medicine. Higher CSS-12 scores were found among males, residents of certain governorates, participants with physical or mental health conditions, those who did not trust the COVID-19 vaccine, and individuals reporting previous misdiagnosis, loss due to medical error, or preference for herbal medicine. In simple linear regression, medical mistrust was positively associated with cyberchondria (unstandardized β approximately 0.37; P < 0.001), with medical mistrust explaining a small proportion of the variance in CSS-12 scores (R2 approximately 0.03).
The sample was predominantly young adult students, with a slight female majority. Higher MMI-17 scores were observed among males; participants aged 26 to 35 years; those reporting mental health conditions; individuals who lacked trust in the COVID-19 vaccine; and those with a history of misdiagnosis, mistreatment, loss of a relative due to medical error, or preference for herbal medicine. Higher CSS-12 scores were found among males; residents of certain governorates; participants with physical or mental health conditions; those who did not trust the COVID-19 vaccine; and individuals reporting previous misdiagnosis, loss due to medical error, or preference for herbal medicine. In simple linear regression, medical mistrust was positively associated with cyberchondria (unstandardized β approximately 0.37; P < 0.001), with medical mistrust explaining a small proportion of the variance in CSS-12 scores (R2 approximately 0.03).
Core Tip: This study explored the relationship between medical mistrust and cyberchondria among Lebanese adults. A significant positive correlation was identified, indicating that individuals with higher medical mistrust scores were more likely to exhibit severe cyberchondria behaviors. Previous medical errors, mental health conditions, and vaccine hesitancy were key contributing factors. Addressing patient physician communication and restoring trust in healthcare systems may help mitigate excessive online health-information seeking and improve health outcomes.