Short Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI-18)

Background

The Short Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI-18) is a widely used self-report measure designed to assess health anxiety and illness-related fears. It evaluates excessive worry about health, heightened awareness of bodily sensations, fear of serious illness, and concerns about medical problems. The questionnaire can be used in both clinical and non-clinical populations.

Procedure

Participants select one statement from four options that best describes their thoughts, feelings, or behaviors related to health and illness. Each question contains statements arranged from least severe to most severe health anxiety.

Participation

This assessment is intended for educational, research, and self-reflection purposes only. Results are anonymous and should not be considered a medical diagnosis or substitute for professional psychological evaluation.

Scoring & Interpretation

Each question is scored from 0 to 3. Higher total scores indicate greater levels of health anxiety, illness worry, and preoccupation with physical health.

Short Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI-18) Questionnaire

Instructions & Terms

Below is the Short Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI-18), a digitally adapted 18- items self-assessment questionnaire. This assessment does not provide a clinical diagnosis, medical determination, or substitute for professional psychological evaluation.

Question 1 of 18 Health Worry

Part 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.

Question 2 of 18 Body Vigilance

Part 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.

Question 3 of 18 Body Vigilance

Part 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.

Question 4 of 18 Illness Preoccupation

Part 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.

Question 5 of 18 Fear of Illness

Part 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.

Question 6 of 18 Illness Imagery

Part 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.

Question 7 of 18 Health Rumination

Part 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.

Question 8 of 18 Reassurance Seeking

Part 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.

Question 9 of 18 Illness Suggestibility

Part 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.

Question 10 of 18 Body Vigilance

Part 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.

Question 11 of 18 Fear of Illness

Part 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.

Question 12 of 18 Illness Preoccupation

Part 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.

Question 13 of 18 Health Rumination

Part 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.

Question 14 of 18 Social Health Concern

Part 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.

Question 15 of 18 Illness Consequences

Part 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.

Question 16 of 18 Treatment Beliefs

Part 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.

Question 17 of 18 Illness Consequences

Part 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.

Question 18 of 18 Illness Consequences

Part 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.

Psychometric Norms

Participants

58%

Community Mean

14%

Sample SD

72%

Highest Observed Score

44%

Lowest Observed Score

2026–2026

Collection Period

Current normative data for theCurrent normative data for the Short Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI-18) are derived from 4 anonymous participant responses collected through TraitProfiler between 2026 and 2026. All response data are collected anonymously and are intended exclusively for educational, psychometric, and non-commercial research purposes.

Sources

Salkovskis, P. M., Rimes, K. A., Warwick, H. M. C., & Clark, D. M. (2002). The Health Anxiety Inventory: Development and validation of scales for the measurement of health anxiety and hypochondriasis. Psychological Medicine, 32(5), 843–853.