The Health Belief Model In Public Health

The Health Belief Model is one of the oldest, most used behavior theories we have today. It is very important in public health because it shows how people can take preventative measures to avoid getting certain diseases. The model shows what motivates people to change and adopt a healthy behavior. The Health Belief Model shows what gives people the self-efficacy, or confidence, to take preventative measures to lower their risk of getting a disease. By using different studies, it is shown how the Health Belief Model works to encourage people to take the preventative measures necessary to keep from getting a certain illness(EDBERG, M. (2018)).
Originators and Purpose In the 1950’s social psychologists, Godfrey Hochbaum, Irwen Rosenstock,
This was the basis of the Health Belief Model. There are six constructs in the Health Belief Model. They go as follows: perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits of an action, perceived barriers to taking an action, cues to action and self-efficacy(EDBERG, M.). I will give an example of the Health Belief Model. Because breast cancer runs in Katlyn’s family, she believes that she is susceptible to getting it. She believes that if she acquired breast cancer it would be bad. Taking action by getting screened for breast cancer could mean that if caught early her condition could be helped. This means that there are perceived benefits to taking action. Her family is supportive in her decision to get screened and there are no barriers in the way of her taking action. When her close relative is diagnosed with breast cancer it gives her a cue to action and she decides to do something. She has the self-efficacy or confidence that she can take the necessary actions to prevent her getting breast cancer(EDBERG,