930 Health Anxiety Symptoms in 5-7-Year- Old Children. The Ccc2000 Birth Cohort

Background and aims: Hypochondriac worry about having a disease is proposed to originate in childhood, but very little research has addressed symptoms of hypochondriasis or health anxiety in childhood. The present study investigates the prevalence of health anxiety symptoms (HAS) and their association with physical health problems and mental problems in 5-7-year-old children. Methods: HAS and physical and mental health were measured in 5-7-year old children (N=1,323 children, 49.7% boys) by parental reports using the Soma Assessment Interview, the Children's Somatization Inventory and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Associations were examined using nonparametric techniques. Results: HAS were reported in 17.6% and to be present ‘a lot’ in 2.4% (categorized as ‘significant HAs’). Parental reported physical health problems such as general poor health and physical symptoms including functional somatic symptoms were associated with significant HAS. In children with functional somatic symptoms, associated impairment of and parental worries about these symptoms were more often reported among children with HAS, and increasingly often with significant HAS. HAS were also significantly associated with the presence of emotional symptoms, but not behavioral or peer problems. Conclusions: The findings suggest that HAS are prevalent at 5-7 years of age and associated with child health problems, especially in the area of functional somatic symptoms and emotional symptoms.