Question

What idea, concept, principle, or practice from the health belief model could have practical applications at an adult primary care clinic? How?

Answer 1

A persons values,beliefs and concepts determines the health behavior of an individual. The health behavior adopted by an individual has a significant role in development of healthy outcome or placing a person at risk of health related issues. The health belief model was adopted in 1950 by social psychologist. This health belief model is psychological model the aims to explain and foretell the health behavior which is done by focussing on attitudes and beliefs of an individual. This model explores both long term and short term health behaviors.

An individual adopts a health related action when he feels that by adapting this the negative outcome of the disease can be prevented. The individual has the confidence to utilize this action and a positive belief that the recommended action will help to avoid the negative outcome of the disease. This health belief model focus on four important concepts:

• Perceived susceptibility i.e one's thought of chances of getting a condition. This helps to identify the risk population and the risk based on particular health behavior.
• Perceived severity i.e one's opinion about how severe that condition and its consequences. This helps to determine the consequences of risk condition.
• Perceived benefits i.e one's belief about the efficacy of the action taken to reduce the risk. This helps to identify the positive effects of the action taken.
• Perceived barriers i.e one's belief about the psychological cost of action. This will to reduce the barriers by reassurance, incentives and assistance.
• Cues to action is the methods to initiate readiness for action i.e how to promote awareness and spread information.
• Self efficacy is the confidence on self ability to take the action. This can be achieved by providing training and guidance while performing action.

The health belief model has been applied to large number of population and a broad range of health behavior. The area includes preventive health behaviors like diet, exercise, health risk behaviors like smoking, vaccination,contraceptives etc. It also includes the compliance of the subjects to a recommended medical regimen and the clinical use. For example:

In a primary health care clinic ( by utilizing the concept of health belief model ), its found that the youth belief that they have STD which is their perceived susceptibility. The youths know that the consequences of the having STD is severe so it should be avoided. This explains there perceived severity. The youths have belief that the application of the recommended action of using condoms will protect tham from STD which shows their perceived belief. But these youth feels embarrassed to talk about condoms with their partner and also is shy to purchase it from the medical shop. This shows their perceived barrier. The reminder cues for the recommended action is provided to the youth in the form of incentives like keychain with message no glove, no love. Its the cue of action. The youth confidently uses the condom effectively. Appropriate guidances and training is provided to utilize this recommended action of using condoms.

From the above example its clear that a health belief model not only help to identify the risk population but also it shows the readiness of the adults to adopt a particular health related action which will impart a positive health outcome. It also throws light on the various beliefs and concepts of the individuals about a health issue and helps to overcome barriers that hinders application of a positive health behavior.