Dr. Obumneke Amadi

Applying the Transtheoretical Model of Change in terms of the health issue

A Description of the Issue You Were Assigned

The infectious disease-pertussis is commonly known as a whooping cough; it has the

capability of causing serious illness in infants, children, and adults. The onset of the disease

typically starts with cold-like symptoms and a mild cough or fever. After a week or two, it can

be followed by a severe coughing. Some common symptoms of the diseases include a runny

nose; low-grade fever; an occasional cough and Apnea i.e. a pause in breathing in infants (CDC,

2013). Children, adolescents, and adults are at risk for the infection. Moreover, it can be

contained through vaccination. Health officials now recommend immunization of Tdap booster

vaccine to protect against a whooping cough (NFID (n.d).

How I Might Apply the Constructs of the Transtheoretical Model of Change to the Health

Issue

Transtheoretical Model (TTM) of Change can be applied to infectious disease-pertussis

problem by matching intervention message to the individual patient need across the TTM

construct e.g. persons in contemplation stage - no intention to take action within a set time could

receive feedback that is designed to increase pros of changing to help them transit into

contemplation stage - intends to take action within a set time (Glanz, Rimer, & Viswanath, 2008,

p.106). Immunization or vaccination uptake would be the most targeted behavior for change in

this theory application. The theory will try to change behavior favoring immunization towards

the adoption of disease prevention behavior and increasing awareness and knowledge regarding

the disease as a means of increasing vaccination uptake e.g. targeting parents’ attitudes towards

vaccinating their children, as well as adults adopting the practice as a method of increasing

vaccination rates (Angus, et al., 2013).

Two Justifications as To Why This Theory May Be Appropriate To Use for This Health

Issue

TTM theory is comprised of a comparative analysis of psychotherapy and behavior

change integration and have been applied by many researchers in similar health issue for solution

intervention. The two justification for the applicability of this theory to infectious disease-

pertussis are

1) Participants can use different processes of change at different times in their struggle

with vaccination adoption

2) The processes of change that are predictive include perception raising and case

management

(Glanz, Rimer, & Viswanath, 2008, p.98).

Two Possible Limitations of Applying This Theory to Your Health Issue

The two possible limitations of applying TTM theory are:

1) People may not have a clear sense for how much time is needed for each stage, or

how long they can remain in a stage.

2) It may be difficult for patients to make rational plans in their decision-making

process

(BUSPH, 2013).

References

Angus, K., Cairns, G., Purves, R., Bryce, S., MacDonald, L., & Gordon, R. (2013). Systematic

literature review to examine the evidence for the effectiveness of interventions that use

theories and models of behaviour change: towards the prevention and control of

communicable diseases. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

BUSPH (2013).The Transtheoretical Model (Stages of Change) Retrieved from

http://sphweb.bumc.bu.edu/otlt/MPH-Modules/SB/SB721-Models/SB721-Models6.html

CDC(2013).Signs & Symptoms. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/about/signs-

symptoms.html

Glanz, K., Rimer, B. K., & Viswanath, K. (Eds.). (2008). Health behavior and health education:

Theory, research, and practice (4th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Klitzner M., Gruenewald, P. J., Bamberger, E., & Rossiter, C. (1994). A quasi-experimental

evaluation of students against driving drunk. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol

Abuse, 20(1), 57–74.

NFID (n.d). Pertussis (Whooping Cough). Retrieved from http://www.nfid.org/pertussis/