Health Belief Model(HBM)

Chris MasonHSC 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 susceptibilityPerceived severityPerceived benefitsPerceived barriersSelf-efficacyCues to action

PerceptionsPerceived susceptibility- ones opinion of

their chances of getting a conditionPerceived severity- one’s opinion about

how serious getting the condition isPerceived 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+

Perceived Benefit =

Likelihood of Acting

Cues to Action (internal/external)

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.

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