I would like to take some time to further explore one of the Health Behavior Theories. Health Belief Model is a good starting point for practitioners and used quite often. Here are some of the points that I would like to highlight…
Health Belief Model (HBM)
- Oldest of individual behavior theories used in Public Health (1950s)
- One of the most widely used theories
- Originated by Godfrey Hochbaum, Irwin Rosenstock and Stephen Kegels
- In response to ‘why weren’t people taking advantage of free tb screening (chest x-rays)?’
Perceived susceptibility: the degree to which a person feels at risk for a health problem
Perceived severity or seriousness: the degree to which a person believes the consequences of the health problem will be severe
Perceived benefits: the positive outcomes a person believes will result from the action
Perceived barriers: the negative outcomes a person believes will result from the action
Cues to action: an external event that motivates a person to act
Self-efficacy: a person’s belief in his or her ability to take action
- Also known as the Value Expectancy Model: People will engage in healthy behavior if:
They value the outcome (being healthy) related to the behavior
They think the behavior is likely to result in that outcome
- Critiques of HBM
It assumes that everyone has equal access to info to make a rational calculation
This model is a good choice when addressing problem behaviors that may lead to health concerns. The constructs listed above act as a starting point to develop short or long term behavioral change strategies. An important point to remember, the practitioner MUST understand the target population’s perspective. Their thoughts and feelings regarding susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, cues to action and self-efficacy are paramount. Changing attitudes and behaviors is never easy. A clear understanding of the target population could make the difference between success and failure.
No comments:
Post a Comment