KOMKES 2: HEALTH BELIEF MODEL

Summary

In this lecture, Mrs. Hanik Endang Nihayati explores the Health Belief Model (HBM), focusing on how individual perceptions influence health behaviors. She delves into the components of the model, such as perceived vulnerability, seriousness, benefits, barriers, and self-efficacy, emphasizing their role in shaping actions like adopting health protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mrs. Nihayati explains how environmental factors and modifying influences like socio-demographics, knowledge, and attitudes impact individuals’ health behavior choices. The session encourages students to reflect on real-world scenarios and apply the model in understanding and altering health behavior in their communities.

Takeaways

• 😀 Health behavior is shaped by an individual's beliefs and perceptions about disease and the efforts required to avoid it.
• 😀 The Health Belief Model (HBM) is a psychological model that predicts health behavior based on personal beliefs about health risks and the benefits of preventive actions.
• 😀 The model emphasizes three main factors influencing health behavior: individual readiness to act, environmental encouragement, and the behavior itself.
• 😀 The Health Belief Model includes six constructs: perceived vulnerability, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy.
• 😀 Perceived vulnerability refers to an individual's belief about their personal risk of experiencing health problems, influencing their likelihood of engaging in preventive behaviors.
• 😀 Perceived severity focuses on the seriousness of a disease or condition, considering both the medical and social consequences that might result.
• 😀 Perceived benefits are the advantages an individual believes they will gain from taking preventive health actions, such as avoiding illness or improving health.
• 😀 Perceived barriers are obstacles that an individual believes might hinder them from adopting recommended health behaviors, such as cost or inconvenience.
• 😀 Cues to action are triggers that prompt individuals to take action, such as health education or reminders from health workers and media.
• 😀 Self-efficacy is the belief in one's own ability to perform health-promoting actions successfully, which plays a crucial role in behavior change.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the Health Belief Model (HBM)?

The main focus of the Health Belief Model (HBM) is to understand how individuals' perceptions and beliefs about a disease influence their health behaviors and decisions. It aims to predict whether people will adopt health behaviors based on their beliefs about disease susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, and self-efficacy.

What are the key components of the Health Belief Model (HBM)?

The six key components of the Health Belief Model are: 1) Perceived Susceptibility (vulnerability), 2) Perceived Severity (seriousness), 3) Perceived Benefits (of health actions), 4) Perceived Barriers (obstacles to taking action), 5) Cues to Action (triggers for behavior change), and 6) Self-Efficacy (belief in one's ability to take action).

How does perceived susceptibility influence health behavior according to the HBM?

Perceived susceptibility refers to an individual's belief in their risk of contracting a disease or experiencing a health issue. Those who perceive themselves as vulnerable are more likely to engage in behaviors that reduce the risk of disease, such as taking preventive actions like using masks or practicing hygiene.

What role does perceived severity play in the Health Belief Model?

Perceived severity refers to how serious an individual believes a disease or health issue can be. If a person perceives the consequences of a disease as severe, such as the risk of death or long-term disability, they are more likely to take preventive actions to avoid it.

Why are perceived benefits an important part of the HBM?

Perceived benefits are crucial because they reflect the belief that taking specific health actions will effectively reduce the risk of disease. If individuals believe that actions like wearing a mask or maintaining hygiene will protect them from illness, they are more likely to adopt these behaviors.

What are perceived barriers, and how do they affect health behavior?

Perceived barriers are the obstacles or challenges individuals believe may prevent them from adopting health behaviors. These can include factors like cost, inconvenience, or discomfort. If the barriers are perceived as too high, individuals may not engage in health-promoting behaviors even if they recognize the benefits.

How do cues to action influence health behavior in the HBM?

Cues to action are external triggers that prompt individuals to take health-related actions. These can include public health messages, reminders, advice from health professionals, or experiencing symptoms of illness. These cues motivate individuals to act to prevent or address health issues.

What is self-efficacy, and why is it important in the Health Belief Model?

Self-efficacy refers to an individual’s belief in their ability to successfully perform a health-related behavior. High self-efficacy encourages individuals to take health actions, as they believe they are capable of managing the required steps to improve or protect their health.

Can the Health Belief Model be modified or influenced by external factors?

Yes, the Health Belief Model can be influenced by external factors such as socio-demographics (age, education level), psychological factors (knowledge, personality), and socio-economic status. These modifying factors can affect how individuals perceive their vulnerability, the seriousness of a health issue, the benefits of action, and their ability to take health-related actions.

How does the Health Belief Model relate to real-world behaviors, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Health Belief Model explains why people followed or resisted health guidelines like wearing masks or social distancing. Individuals who perceived themselves as vulnerable to COVID-19, believed in the severity of the disease, saw the benefits of preventive measures, and felt capable of following health protocols were more likely to adopt behaviors like wearing masks or avoiding crowds.