Kj. Petrie et al., Thoroughly modern worries - The relationship of worries about modernity toreported symptoms, health and medical care utilization, J PSYCHOSOM, 51(1), 2001, pp. 395-401
Objective: There is now greater public concern about how features of modern
life pose threats to personal health. In two studies, we investigated the
relationship between individuals' worries about modernity affecting health
to symptom reports, perceptions of health and health care utilization. Meth
ods: In the first study, 526 University students completed a questionnaire
measuring modem health worries (MHW), symptom reports and health perception
s. A second study utilized an existing national survey database of 7869 New
Zealanders. Part of the survey examined people's concerns of modernity aff
ecting their health in the past 12 months, as well as the use of convention
al medical and alternative health care. Results: We found concerns about mo
dernity affecting health were made up of four major components: environment
al pollution, toxic interventions, tainted food and radiation. MHW were sig
nificantly associated with somatic complaints and ratings of the importance
of health to the individual. We also found individuals with high levels of
MHW had a higher rate of food intolerance and chronic fatigue syndrome (CF
s). In the second study, we found MHW to be associated with medical care ut
ilization, particularly of alternative health practitioners. Conclusions: T
he results of these studies suggest concerns about modernity do cause chang
es in the way individuals interpret somatic information and may play a role
in undermining perceptions of health. The area of MHW is worthy of study a
nd may hold importance for understanding aspects of functional disorders. (
C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.