The diagnosis of illness anxiety disorder is more prevalent women in than in men.
Indicate whether the statement is true or false.
Catherine Connally is a 48 year-old woman who has quite an attractive fair and freckled
complexion. Unfortunately, she has a strong family history of skin cancer and remembers
her grandmothers tragic death from untreated melanoma. Over the past few years,
Catherine has started visiting her dermatologist every few weeks to be evaluated for skin
cancer. She is preoccupied with the presentation of the freckles on different parts of her
body and worries over the smallest patch of dry skin This serves as evidence for
Catherine that she has a form of skin cancer. She is constantly checking her face, eyes,
and ears despite not having any discoloration, changes in the size of her freckles (of
concern), sores or bleeding, or other somatic symptoms. She does have a history of an
anxiety disorder. Would be the most likely diagnosis to consider for Catherine?
a) Somatic symptom disorder
b) Factitious disorder
c) Illness anxiety disorder
d) Generalized anxiety disorder
Someone with illness anxiety disorder is preoccupied with having or acquiring a serious
illness. In some cases, the individual is constantly seeking medical care, changing
doctors, and/or undergoing tests and procedures. What specifier would support this
pattern?
a) Care-avoidant type
b) Care-seeking type
c) With predominant pain
d) With mixed symptoms
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