[Study of the level of social apprehension in primary care users. Its relationship with anxiety and illness behaviour].
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the level of social apprehension in people who use primary care centres and its relationship with their level of anxiety and illness behaviour.


METHODS
Descriptive, observational, and cross-sectional study.


METHODS
The study was carried out at 3 primary care centres: CAP Sant Miquel, CAP Bellavista, and CAP Vallès Oriental.


METHODS
330 subjects aged between 18 and 75 years old who used their primary care Centre and participated voluntarily in the study.


METHODS
A sociodemographic data questionnaire and the following measurements were used: the Social Apprehension Scale (SAS), the State/Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Illness Behaviour Questionnaire (IBQ).


RESULTS
31.8% of the subjects showed high levels of social apprehension and 44.5% revealed moderate scores. Statistically meaningful relation was observed between the levels of social apprehension and the levels of trait anxiety (P=.002), state anxiety (P=.008), hypochondriasis (P=.000), affective disturbance (P=.037), disease conviction (P=.001), interpersonal discord (P=.001), and difficulties in social relations (P=.042).


CONCLUSIONS
A high percentage of primary care users show high/moderate levels of social apprehension that are directly linked to anxiety and inversely linked to the concept of abnormal illness behaviour related to hypochondriasis and other fears of suffering from health disorders.
Cebrià Andreu
J
J
Grup de Recerca Comunicació i Salut, FPCEE Blanquerna, URL, Barcelona, Spain. jordicebriaa@blanquerna.url.es
Palma Sevillano
C
C
Gutiérrez Blanch
I
I
Ferrer Ventura
M
M
Ger Cabero
S
S
Doménech Cortés
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006998:Hypochondriasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012803:Sick Role; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires