Work

Targeted online health information was associated with more severe temporomandibular disorders

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Background: Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are typical biopsychosocial conditions often accompanied by anxiety, somatization and even cyberchondria. Targeted online health information is increasingly prominent in digital era yet its psychological impact on TMDs remains underexplored. To examine the association between targeted online health information and TMDs severity, and to explore whether anxiety, cyberchondria and somatization mediate this relationship. Methods: Participants were evaluated using questionnaires including the five TMDs symptoms (TMDs-5T) scale, 7-item Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), short-form version of the cyberchondria severity scale (CSS-12) and somatic symptom scale-8 (SSS-8). Data on targeted online health information, search frequency and perceived impact were also collected. Analyses were conducted using SPSS and Mplus. Results: A total of 588 valid responses were analyzed. Greater TMDs severity was significantly associated with targeted online health information delivery (β = 1.373, p < 0.001), anxiety (β = 1.714, p < 0.001) and cyberchondria (β = 1.641, p < 0.001). The chain mediation model revealed that both the total effect and direct effect (Targeted online health information → TMDs-5T) were significant (β = 2.261, p < 0.001; β = 1.003, p < 0.001). A significant indirect pathway was also identified, in which targeted online health information influenced TMD severity through somatization, anxiety, and cyberchondria (β = 0.210, p = 0.026). Conclusions: Exposure to targeted online health information was associated with greater TMD symptom severity, mediated by psychological factors such as somatization, anxiety, and cyberchondria. These findings underscore the importance of algorithmic ethics, policy oversight, and user education to mitigate psychological risks in digital health environments.

Source: Journal of Oral & Facial Pain and Headache

DOI: 10.22514/jofph.2025.081

Author: Yijun Li

Institution: West China Medical Center of Sichuan University

Language: English

Topic: Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

Subfield: Complementary and Manual Therapy

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: National Natural Science Foundation of China