HEALTH BELIEF MODEL

An Luu

The Health Belief Model (HBM) was developed in the 1950s and has been

practiced because it is logical, well articulated and simple.

Constructs of HBM• Perceived susceptibility: refers to belief about the likelihood of getting a disease or condition

• Perceived the severity: feeling about the seriousness of contracting an illness or if leaving it untreated

• Level of perceived threat: a compound of the two above elementary constructs, influences in the likelihood of the action – an expectancy-value formulation

• Cues to the action: events, symptoms experienced by the person or reminders provided by a credible source

• Modifying factors: age, race, gender, knowledge

• Expected net gain (perceived benefits): benefits of adopting the health protective behavior, it is also the result expectancy-value formation.

Representation of HBM

Level of perceived

threatPerceive

susceptibility

Perceive the severity

Modifying factors

Cues to action

Expected net benefit

Likelihood to take action

Expected consequences

Value of consequences

Addition

• Self efficacy was introduced to the HBM in 1977 and we will learn in Chapter 8.

• People will not try a new behavior unless they are confident that they can perform the behavior.

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DECISIONS/INTENTIONS

SOCIAL SITUATION

BIOLOGY/PERSONALITY

THE THEORY OF TRIADIC INFLUENCE

ATTITUDESTOWARD THE

BEHAVIOR

SOCIALNORMATIVE

BELIEFS

Trial Behavior

EXPERIENCES: Expectancies -- Social Reinforcements -- Psychological/Physiological

SELF-EFFICACYBEHAVIORAL

CONTROL

Nurture/CulturalBiological/NatureIntrapersonal Stream Social/Normative Stream Cultural/Attitudinal Stream

Values/Evaluations

Knowledge/Expectancies

PerceivedNorms

Information/Opportunities

InterpersonalBonding

SocialCompetence

Interactions w/Social Instit’s

Others’Beh & Atts

Motivationto Comply

Skills:Social+General

Sense ofSelf/Control

SelfDetermination

1 2 3

7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18

l

4 5 6

19 20 21

22

23

DistalInfluences

ProximalPredictors

Levels ofCausation

UltimateCauses

Social/Personal Nexus

Expectancies & Evaluations

Affect andCognitions

Decisions

Experiences

a

b c d e

f

g h i

jk m n

o

p q r

s

t u v w

x

Related BehaviorsJ

K

CF

IB E HA D G

CULTURALENVIRONMENT

Example 1: getting flu shot

• Perceive the severity: how sick I will be if I get flu?• Perceive susceptibility: how likely I would get flu?• Cues to the actions: on TVs, radioThese constructs directly contribute to level of perceived threat

• Modifying factors: time, financial cost…• Expected net benefits:

– the benefits of getting flu shot (not likely to get flu, no days off from work, affect quality of other chores).

– The modifying factors influence the perception of threat and the expected net benefits, and these two constructs both directly influence the behavior change

Example 1: getting flu shot

Example 2: screening for HTN

• Perceive the severity: complications (stroke, MI…) • Perceive susceptibility: prevalence of raised BP in

people >25yo was about 40% (2008-WHO)• Cues to the actions: on TV, radio, posters at clinics• Modifying factors: age, lifestyle, time, financial cost…• Expected net benefits: maintain good health quality,

prevent from getting the complications and disabilities.

Thank you!