- MHScales

HAI [Health Anxiety Inventory]

The HAI is a validated self-report scale measuring the severity of health anxiety and hypochondriasis. It can be used both for screening and monitoring purposes.

Created by Dr. Paul Salkovskis, Dr. Hillary Warwick, and and colleagues. This is the short form of the scale. Very minor additions (noted in square brackets) made to clarify for audience. The scale has been published by the authors and widely distributed. Permission is given for the scale to be used without modification.

More: doi:10.1017/s0033291702005822

Each question in this section consists of a group of four statements. Please read each group of statements carefully and then select the one which best describes your feelings over the past six months.

If you have already completed this scale in the past six months, please answer based on your feelings over the past week.

1.	I do not worry about my health. I occasionally worry about my health. I spend much of my time worrying about my health. I spend most of my time worrying about my health.

2.	I notice aches/pains less than most other people (of my age). I notice aches/pains as much as most other people (of my age). I notice aches/pains more than most other people (of my age). I am aware of aches/pains in my body all the time.

3.	As a rule I am not aware of bodily sensations or changes. Sometimes I am aware of bodily sensations or changes. I am often aware of bodily sensations or changes. I am constantly aware of bodily sensations or changes.

4.	Resisting thoughts of illness is never a problem. Most of the time I can resist thoughts of illness. I try to resist thoughts of illness but am often unable to do so. Thoughts of illness are so strong that I no longer even try to resist them.

5.	As a rule I am not afraid that I have a serious illness I am sometimes afraid that I have a serious illness. I am often afraid that I have a serious illness. I am always afraid that I have a serious illness.

6.	I do not have images (mental pictures) of myself being ill. I occasionally have images of myself being ill. I frequently have images of myself being ill. I constantly have images of myself being ill.

7.	I do not have any difficulty taking my mind off thoughts about my health. I sometimes have difficulty taking my mind off thoughts about my health. I often have difficulty in taking my mind off thoughts about my health. Nothing can take my mind off thoughts about my health.

8.	I am lastingly relieved if my doctor tells me there is nothing wrong. I am initially relieved but the worries sometimes return later. I am initially relieved but the worries always return later. I am not relieved if my doctor tells me there is nothing wrong.

9.	If I hear about an illness I never think I have it myself. If I hear about an illness I sometimes think I have it myself. If I hear about an illness I often think I have it myself. If I hear about an illness I always think I have it myself.

10.	If I have a bodily sensation or change I rarely wonder what it means. If I have a bodily sensation or change I often wonder what it means. If I have a bodily sensation or change I always wonder what it means. If I have a bodily sensation or change I must know what it means.

11.	I usually feel at very low risk for developing a serious illness. I usually feel at fairly low risk for developing a serious illness. I usually feel at moderate risk for developing a serious illness. I usually feel at high risk for developing a serious illness.

12.	I never think I have a serious illness. I sometimes think I have a serious illness. I often think I have a serious illness. I usually think that I am seriously ill.

13.

If I notice an unexplained bodily sensation I don’t find it difficult to think about other things.
If I notice an unexplained bodily sensation I sometimes find it difficult to think about other things.
If I notice an unexplained bodily sensation I often find it difficult to think about other things.
If I notice an unexplained bodily sensation I always find it difficult to think about other things.

14.	My family/friends would say I do not worry enough about my health. My family/friends would say I have a normal attitude to my health. My family/friends would say I worry too much about my health. My family/friends would say I am a hypochondriac.

Negative Consequences

For the following questions, please think about what it might be like if you had a serious illness of a type which particularly concerns you (such as heart disease, cancer, multiple sclerosis, etc). Obviously you cannot know for certain what it would be like; but please give your best estimate of what you think might happen, basing your estimate on what you know about yourself and serious illness in general.

15.

If I had a serious illness I would still be able to enjoy things in my life quite a lot.
If I had a serious illness I would still be able to enjoy things in my life a little.
If I had a serious illness I would be almost completely unable to enjoy things in my life.
If I had a serious illness I would be completely unable to enjoy life at all.

16.

If I developed a serious illness there is a good chance that modern medicine would be able to cure me.
If I developed a serious illness there is a moderate chance that modern medicine would be able to cure me.
If I developed a serious illness there is a very small chance that modern medicine would be able to cure me.
If I developed a serious illness there is no chance that modern medicine would be able to cure me.

17.	A serious illness would ruin some aspects of my life. A serious illness would ruin many aspects of my life. A serious illness would ruin almost every aspect of my life. A serious illness would ruin every aspect of my life.

18.

If I had a serious illness I would not feel that I had lost my dignity.
If I had a serious illness I would feel that I had lost a little of my dignity.
If I had a serious illness I would feel that I had lost quite a lot of my dignity.
If I had a serious illness I would feel that I had totally lost my dignity.

Avoidance

For the following questions, choose a number from the scale to show how much you would avoid each of the situations listed below because of fear or other unpleasant feelings.

1. Consulting your family doctor.

2. Visiting a friend in hospital.

3. Visiting a relative in hospital.

4. Going to a hospital for treatment.

5. Talking about illness.

6. Reading about illness.

7. Visiting a hospital for other reasons e.g. delivering a message.

8. Watching TV programmes [or internet videos] about illness.

9. Listening to radio programs [or podcasts] about illness.

10. Thinking about illness.

Reassurance

For the following questions, choose a number from the scale which best describes how often you seek reassurance about your health from each of the sources described below.

1. Friends.

2. Family.

3. Reading books [or research online].

4. Checking body for changes.

5. Family doctor.

6. Nurses.

7. Hospital outpatient clinic.

8. Hospital casualty [emergency room].

Self-report scales are for screening purposes only, and must be interpreted by a qualified health professional in conjunction with clinical assessment. They cannot be used alone for diagnostic or treatment purposes.