The Health Belief Model: An OverviewLETICIA L VANCE, MSN, FNP-BC

INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY DOCTORATE OF NURSING PRACTICE

The Health Belief Model: A Broad Summary

The Health Belief Model is a model which attempts to explain and predict health behaviors and patterns based in psychological theory.

The Health Belief Model:History and Development

Believed to be one of the first behavioral health theories

Developed in the 1950s by a group of social psychologists from the U.S. Public Health Service

Goal was to determine why so few people were participating in disease prevention and detection programs

The Health Belief Model:History and Development

First used after the failure of a free tuberculosis (TB) health screening to understand why it failed

Looks at the relationship between a person’s beliefs and their health behaviors

The Health Belief Model:Core Belief and Assumptions

Health-seeking behavior is influenced by a person’s perception of the potential health problem threat

Perception does not equate reality

The Health Belief Model:Methods and Validity

Primary method: Surveys Likert Multiple Choice Questionnaire Items

Validity Based on the quality and reliability of the

construct of the surveys

The Health Belief Model:Major Concepts Defined

Perceived Susceptibility-person’s perception that a health problem is personally relevant or that a diagnosis of illness is accurate

Application: define population(s) at risk, risk levels; personalized risk based on a person’s features or behavior; heighten perceived susceptibility if too low

The Health Belief Model:Major Concepts Defined

Perceived Severity-individual’s opinion of how serious a condition and its consequences are in relation to self

Application: specify consequences of the risk and the condition

The Health Belief Model:Major Concepts Defined

Perceived Benefits-individual’s belief in the efficacy of the advised action to reduce risk or seriousness of the impact

Application: define action to take: the how, where, when and what; clarify the positive effects to be expected

The Health Belief Model:Major Concepts Defined

Perceived Barriers-individual’s opinion of the tangible and psychological cost of the advised action

Application: identify and reduce barriers through reassurance, incentives and assistant; know community resources

The Health Belief Model:Major Concepts Defined

Cues to Action/Motivation-individual’s desire to comply with a treatment; readiness

Application: provide how-to information, encouragement and reminders; promote awareness

The Health Belief Model:Major Concepts Defined

Self-Efficacy/Modifying Factors- individual’s confidence in own ability to take action; ability to work within own person variables and adjust when necessary

Application: provide training, guidance and alternatives when hurdles are met

The Health Belief Model:Strengths

Ease of use and transferability Non-psychologist friendlyAllows for focused research on modifiable

behaviorsMakes testable predictions: Large threats

might be offset by perceived costs; small threats by large benefits etc.

The Health Belief Model:Limitations

Does not account for a person’s attitudes, beliefs, or other individual determinants that dictate a person’s acceptance of a health behavior

Assumes everyone has access to equal amounts of information on the illness and disease

The Health Belief Model:Limitations

Assumes that “health” actions are the main goal in the decision making process

Assumes health behavior is rational and logical