You're no doubt familiar with the term FOMO (fear of missing out), but you may not have heard of FOFO: fear of finding out. This is a common reason why many people do not undergo recommended medical examinations such as mammography, Pap smearsSTD tests, blood tests and whole body skin cancer screening.
FOFO is not a clinical diagnosis; is a colloquial term that many people and doctors are very familiar with. In recent years, this issue has received increasing attention in the medical community and the media. “There is very little research on this particular topic, but clinicians working in the field of health anxiety are very familiar with it,” says Stephen Taylor, a professor and clinical psychologist at the University of British Columbia and co-author of the book. It's not all in your head: how worrying about your health can make you sick and what you can do about it.
One 2025 survey Of 2,000 working American adults, they found that three in five avoid medical exams, with fear of bad news or embarrassment being common reasons. There are signs that the problem may be getting worse. Another Survey of 7,000 US adults, 2025 found that only 51% had regularly visited a doctor or been screened for cancer in the past year, down 10% from 2024.
Here's what you need to know about FOFO and how to combat it.
Where did FOFO come from?
“For many people, it comes from anxiety and trying to exert some control over a situation that feels uncertain,” says Lynn Bufka, a psychologist and practice director at the American Psychological Association. “Greater anxiety causes us to avoid what frightens us.”
FOFO is especially common among people with generalized anxiety disorder obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).OCD), or anxiety disorder (formerly called hypochondriasis), says Taylor. But even people without these conditions can have FOFO. In some cases, “it may be an isolated thing, like fear of a prostate exam, or it may be part of a broader coping style,” Taylor explains. “Sometimes people who avoid screening tests compulsively seek help from Dr. ChatBot or Dr. Google.”
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For some people, FOFO may be a result of previous bad experiences in healthcare settings or due to iatrophobiageneral fear of doctors or medical care. For others, it may be due to a test result that may lead to feelings of shame about a particular disease (such as an STD) or anxiety about needing treatment they don't want. “This could be about fear of receiving bad news or feeling pressured to make difficult lifestyle choices,” says Bufka. In these cases, the basic idea is: “If I don't have the test, this thing doesn't exist.”
Having to wait for results can also contribute to FOFO. “If you have to wait a couple of weeks for results, there's nothing more worrying than that,” says Jonathan Abramowitz, a professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
How to overcome FOFO
The first step is to consider the pros and cons of taking a particular screening test versus not taking it. For example, pros may include finding out if you have a medical condition and treating it, while cons may include reducing your anxiety about getting a positive result. “In the long run, the pros of taking the test outweigh the cons,” Abramowitz says. However, “as humans, we tend to do things that make us feel better in the short term” – and this may explain why so many people put off watching.
If you fall into this camp, it's worth asking yourself what motivates you to avoid the test. “If you're worried about what if the results come back positive and what that will mean, you may be underestimating your ability to handle it,” Abramowitz says.
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Also, consider whether you want your fear or anxiety to make decisions for you, Bufka suggests. She recommends asking yourself: What will happen if I continue to avoid this? Is it worth the risk to keep putting it off? How will I feel about this issue or decision a year from now? “Confronting fear helps us make choices that are more aligned with our values,” she says.
“If you really feel like you're stuck in FOFO, talk to your doctor about it,” advises Taylor. “Share your concerns and concerns and come up with a plan together to move forward with the test and plan what you will do during the waiting period.” (If FOFO is associated with a broader range of anxiety, cognitive behavioral therapy may also be helpful, Abramowitz says.)
Another good strategy: If you need to take multiple medical tests, try scheduling several of them at once to get them done efficiently, suggests Abramowitz. It can also help if you have a supportive person accompany you to a particular test, or reward yourself with a treat (like your favorite lunch) after taking it.
Ultimately, it's important to remind yourself that getting recommended medical tests, cancer screenings, and routine checkups is part of taking good care of yourself.
“It's in your best interest to get tested; you'll either feel relieved that everything is okay or you'll understand what you're dealing with,” Abramowitz says. “The expectation is often worse than the actual result.”
