Health Belief Model

Question 1

Purpose of Health Belief Model

Answer 1

Is to analyse individual beliefs to try and predict health behaviours and gain an understanding of an individual’s willingness to change their health behaviours.

Question 2

How/Why is the Health Belief Model effective

Answer 2

It allows health professionals to understand why or why not someone is engaging in prevention and promotion strategies.

By having this understanding, the factors that influence the choices people make, programs, strategies and initiatives can minimise barriers, improve knowledge and help people feel more motivated to act.

Question 3

Areas/Elements of the Health Belief Model

Answer 3

Perceived susceptibility:
Perceived severity
Perceived barriers
Perceived benefits
Cues to action
Self-efficacy

Question 4

Perceived susceptibility

Answer 4

Is the result of an individual’s belief that it could happen to them.

Question 5

Perceived severity

Answer 5

Is how serious the individual believes the health problem is, and with susceptibility is influenced by individual perception.

Question 6

Perceived barriers

Answer 6

Are circumstances which will hinder or prevent an individual’s attempts to adapt healthy behaviours. How difficult changing the behaviour would be.

Question 7

Perceived benefits

Answer 7

Are a person’s opinion of the value or usefulness of a new behaviour in decreasing the risk of developing a disease

Question 8

Cues to action

Answer 8

Are events, people, or things that move people to change their behaviour (the HBM proposes that a cue or trigger is a necessary intervention to promote healthy behaviour).

Question 9

Self-efficacy

Answer 9

Is an individual’s perception of having the competence to make a successful health related change.