2026-10-13T08:01:49Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/34023513 2026-09-29T11:47:58Z category_7 category_15 category_734 category_64 category_106 category_122 category_135 portal_87 item_type_6 month_year_09_2026

Health anxiety following subarachnoid hemorrhage: preliminary insights from a neuropsychology care pathway Kealan Forristal (18515742) Caroline M. van Heugten (6470312) David C. Gillespie (25136931) Medicine Neuroscience Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified Cancer Science Policy Mental Health Computational Biology Subarachnoid hemorrhage health anxiety psychological distress psychosocial outcomes neuropsychology <p>Psychological distress is common following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Although anxiety is frequently reported, specific subtypes have not been examined in this population. This study describes health anxiety and its association with psychosocial outcomes among individuals with SAH.</p> <p>A secondary analysis was conducted using routine follow-up data from a neuropsychology care pathway. Data from individuals with SAH (71 observations from 60 individuals; mean age = 63.46; 25% male; 72% aneurysmal SAH) were analyzed. Health anxiety was measured with the Short Health Anxiety Inventory (SHAI), alongside other psychosocial measurements. Descriptive statistics summarized SHAI scores, and hierarchical regressions examined psychosocial associations.</p> <p>Twenty-eight percent scored ≥18 on the SHAI, 24% ≥20, and 10% ≥27. Demographic and clinical variables accounted for 5% of variance in SHAI scores; inclusion of somatic and psychosocial variables increased this to 88%. Only psychological distress was significantly associated with SHAI scores (<i>r</i> = .39, <i>p</i> < 0.01).</p> <p>Around one in four individuals reported elevated health anxiety, with 10% meeting the threshold for clinically significant symptoms. The strongest association was with psychological distress, suggesting health anxiety may represent a target for intervention. Further prospective studies are needed to replicate findings and better understand the role of health anxiety in this population.</p> 2026-09-29T11:47:58Z Text Journal contribution 10.6084/m9.figshare.34023513.v1 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Health_anxiety_following_subarachnoid_hemorrhage_preliminary_insights_from_a_neuropsychology_care_pathway/34023513 CC BY 4.0