Transcript Health Belief Model (HBM) - Theory of Health Behavior

Health Belief Model
(HBM)
Chris Mason
HSC 6603 Theory of Health Behavior
University of North Florida
History

The Health Belief Model is one of the first
theories of health behavior.

It was developed in the 1950s by a group
of U.S. Public Health Service social
psychologists.

Works well for addressing problem
behaviors that evoke health concerns.
HBM

HBM is a value-expectancy theory

Based on these assumptions:
◦ People desire to avoid illness or get well
◦ People believe that a specific health action that is
available to him or her will prevent illness

Readiness to Take Action = Perceived Threat

Readiness to Change Behavior = Perceived
Benefit of Taking Action
◦ Cost-Benefit Analysis
Perceptions
1.) The severity of a potential illness
2.) The person's susceptibility to that
illness
3.) The benefits of taking a preventive
action
4.) The barriers to taking that action.
Theory
Constructs






Perceived susceptibility
Perceived severity
Perceived benefits
Perceived barriers
Self-efficacy
Cues to action
Perceptions
Perceived susceptibility- ones opinion
of their chances of getting a condition
 Perceived severity- one’s opinion
about how serious getting the condition
is
 Perceived benefits- one’s opinion on
the effectiveness of the advised action
to reduce risk or seriousness of impact
 Perceived barriers- one’s opinion of
the costs of an advised action

H1N1Example:
Should I get the H1N1 vaccination?

Self-efficacy- one’s confidence in their
ability to take action/change

Cues to action- strategies to activate
one’s readiness to take action/change
Childhood Obesity & the Health Belief Model
Health Belief Model

Moderate predictive power

Best predictor of actual behavior=perceived
barriers
Perceived Threat
Cues to Action
(internal/external)
+
Perceived
Benefit
=
Likelihood of Acting
References:
Current Nursing. (2012, January 31). Health Belief Model (HBM). Retrieved from
Nursing Theories:
http://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/health_belief_model.html
Edberg, M. (2007). Essentials of Health Behavior Social and Behavioral Theory in Public
Health. (R. Riegelman, Ed.) Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Janz, N., & Becker, M. (1984). The Health Belief Model: A Decade Later. Health
Education Quarterly , 11 (1), 1-47.