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Health Belief Model

The Health Belief Model (HBM) is a health behavior change model that uses perceptions of threat and benefits to predict health behaviors. It was developed in the 1950s and has six key elements: perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy. The model aims to explain why some people adopt healthy behaviors while others do not by considering their attitudes and beliefs.

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66 views18 pages

Health Belief Model

The Health Belief Model (HBM) is a health behavior change model that uses perceptions of threat and benefits to predict health behaviors. It was developed in the 1950s and has six key elements: perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy. The model aims to explain why some people adopt healthy behaviors while others do not by considering their attitudes and beliefs.

Uploaded by

UWU
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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HEALTH BELIEF MODEL

The Purpose
 The Health Belief Model is a health
behaviour change model that attempts to
explain and predict health behaviours.
 This is done by focusing on the attitudes
and beliefs of the individual.
 It is a commonly applied model and is
valuable in guiding health practitioners to
plan health education and promotion
initiatives.
What is the Health Belief Model?
 The HBM was first developed in the 1950’s
by social psychologists in response to the
failure of a free tuberculosis (TB) health
screening program.
 Since then, the HBM has been adapted to
explore a variety of long and short term
health behaviours, including sexual risk
behaviours and the transmission of
HIV/AIDS.
The HBM is based on the understanding
that a person will take action to protect or
promote health if they:

 Perceive themselves to be susceptible to


or at risk of a condition or problem.

 Believe such a condition or problem could


have potential serious consequences.
 Have a positive expectation that by taking
action, they will minimise or avoid any
negative consequences; and

 Believe that the benefits of taking action


will outweigh any costs.
Elements of the HBM
 The HBM originally had four elements
representing the perceived threat and
benefits. These are:
1. Perceived susceptibility – this refers to a
person’s perception that a health
problem is personally relevant and that
their health is in jeopardy. The greater
the perceived risk, the more likely a
person will adopt a health behaviour.
 People will not change their health
behaviour unless they believe that they are
at risk
 For example: a person who does not think
that they are at risk of acquiring HIV from
unprotected intercourse is unlikely to use a
condom.
2. Perceived severity – if a person
recognizes they are susceptible to an
illness or disease, they will not take
action unless they perceive that the
seriousness is significant enough to have
an impact on their health and well-being.

 Such impacts could be physical in terms


of pain, or social in terms of time off
work/school.
 For example: If you are young and in love,
you are unlikely to avoid kissing your
sweetheart on the mouth just because he
has the sniffles, and you might get his
cold. On the other hand, you probably
would stop kissing if it might give you
Ebola.
3. Perceived benefits – refers to a person’s
belief that given treatments or changes
in behaviour will cure or help prevent an
illness or disease.

 Such benefits would need to outweigh


any costs and need to be within grasp of
the individual.
 It is difficult to convince people to change
a behaviour if there isn’t anything in it for
them.

 For example: Your father probably won't


stop smoking if he doesn't think that doing
so will improve his life in some way.
4. Perceived barriers – refers to a person’s
belief that any barriers to change are
capable of being overcome.

 A person needs to believe that the


benefits of the new behaviour outweigh
the consequences of the new behaviour.
 One of the major reasons people don't
change their health behaviours is that they
think that doing so is going to be hard.

 For example: If everyone from your office


goes out drinking on Fridays, it may be
very difficult to cut down on your alcohol
intake.
Since the original conception of the
model, two (2) extra elements were
added.

5. Cues to Action – refers to events, people


or things that enable/encourage
behaviour change.
For example: going to a health fair,
seeing a condom poster on a train or
having a relative die of cancer.
6. Self-efficacy – refers to a person’s belief
in their ability to do or achieve
something.
It may seem trivial, but faith in your
ability to do something has an enormous
impact on your actual ability to do it.
Thinking that you will fail will almost
make certain that you do.
Cognitive Dissonance
Dissonance refers to conflict which arises
from a person having differing beliefs and
attitudes. It occurs when a person
becomes aware that his/her attitudes,
thoughts and behaviour are inconsistent.

For example: a smoker continuing to


smoke despite knowing the hazardous
effects on their health.
Impact of Cognitive Dissonance on
Decision-making
 Many factors influence decision-making
including values, personality, the likelihood
of potential risk and the potential for
cognitive dissonance.
 Dissonance often occurs when a person
must choose between conflicting attitudes
or behaviours; therefore impacting on
decision-making and problem solving.
 Cognitive Dissonance can motivate people
to make changes to their lives.

 This change might be an attempt to avoid


the behaviours that cause dissonance or a
motivating force to make a a decision to
change the situation and bring about less
dissonance and a sense of equilibrium.

 http://video.about.com/psychology/Overvi
ew-of-Cognitive-Dissonance.htm

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