Introduction
The Health Anxiety Inventory examines thoughts about illness, attention to bodily sensations and expectations about becoming unwell. The 18 questions use groups of statements to describe different degrees of concern.
The topic is the response to health uncertainty, not a measurement of whether a physical disease is present. Repeated checking, seeking reassurance and finding it difficult to move attention away from the body provide useful context for the answers. A person can have a medical condition and also experience health-related worry.
If worry extends across many areas of life, the Penn State Worry Questionnaire offers a broader focus. When discussing health concerns, distinguish the symptom itself, the meaning you attach to it and what you do in response; those are three different parts of the experience.
Instructions
Each of the following questions consists of a group of four statements. Please read each group of statements carefully and then select the one which best describes how you have felt over the past six months. If you find that more than one statement applies, please select any of the applicable statements.
Scoring and result metrics
The result page reports a local screening score for this questionnaire. Use the score range, any subscale scores, and the interpretation band together rather than treating one number as a diagnosis.
- Score range
- 0-54
- Items scored
- 18
- Result indicators
- Total score / Interpretation band when available
Score interpretation bands
- 0-12Low range
Your score falls in the lower range for this screening tool.
- 13-26Mild range
Your score falls in a mild or lower-middle range. Consider the result alongside your current context.
- 27-39Moderate range
Your score falls in a moderate range. If the symptoms are distressing, consider speaking with a qualified professional.
- 40-54Higher range
Your score falls in a higher range for this screening tool. This is not a diagnosis, but it may be worth discussing with a clinician.
Interpretation bands summarize screening thresholds from the questionnaire source material. Higher scores usually indicate more of the measured concern unless the tool notes a different scoring rule.
Tool information
- Version
- 18 questions
- Administration
- Self-report
- Intended audience
- Adults reviewing health-related worry, bodily monitoring, reassurance seeking, and fear of serious illness
Sources
Related tests
Explore related screening tools in the same topic area.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 Item Scale (GAD-7)
GAD-7 brings together seven experiences related to anxiety, including persistent worry, difficulty relaxing, restlessness and irritability.
Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ)
The Penn State Worry Questionnaire concentrates on the experience of worrying: how persistent it feels, how difficult it is to set aside and how widely it spreads across situations.
Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale (TMAS)
The Taylor questionnaire approaches anxiety through everyday statements about nervousness, tension and physical discomfort.