• Click here - to use the wp menu builder

Logo

  • Privacy Policy
  • Refund Policy
  • Terms Of Service
  • Nursing notes PDF
  • Nursing Foundations
  • Medical Surgical Nursing
  • Maternal Nursing
  • Pediatric Nursing
  • Behavioural sciences
  • BSC NURSING
  • GNM NURSING
  • MSC NURSING
  • PC BSC NURSING
  • HPSSB AND HPSSC
  • Nursing Assignment

Health Belief Model in Nursing: Enhancing Patient Care

Nurses, unlock the power of the Health Belief Model in Nursing! This article demystifies how to inspire patients to embrace healthy choices. Learn core HBM principles, practical tips, and strategies to empower healthier communities.

Table of Contents

Introduction to the Health Belief Model in Nursing

health belief model nursing

Brief Overview of the Health Belief Model

The Health Belief Model, developed in the 1950s, is a psychological framework that aims to explain and predict health-related behaviors. In nursing, it serves as a guiding principle for understanding patient perspectives and motivations.

Importance of the Health Belief Model in Nursing Profession

Nurses play a crucial role in promoting health and preventing diseases. HBM provides a structured approach for nurses to assess, plan, and implement interventions based on individual beliefs and perceptions.

Key Components of the Health Belief Model

Perceived susceptibility.

One of the fundamental components of HBM is the individual’s perception of their vulnerability to a particular health issue. Nurses use this information to tailor interventions based on perceived susceptibility.

Perceived Severity

Understanding how a patient perceives the seriousness of a health condition is vital. It helps nurses prioritize and communicate the potential consequences of certain behaviors or conditions.

Perceived Benefits

Patients are more likely to adopt healthy behaviors if they believe the proposed actions will bring positive outcomes. Nurses leverage this aspect of HBM to emphasize the benefits of recommended interventions.

Perceived Barriers

Identifying and addressing perceived barriers is crucial in promoting behavior change. Nurses work collaboratively with patients to overcome obstacles hindering the adoption of healthier practices.

Cues to Action

External factors or triggers that prompt individuals to take action are considered cues to action. Nurses utilize these cues strategically to encourage patients to engage in preventive or therapeutic activities.

Self-Efficacy

Patients’ confidence in their ability to execute a recommended health behavior influences their willingness to change. Nurses foster self-efficacy by providing support, guidance, and positive reinforcement.

Application of Health Belief Model in Nursing Practice

Health promotion and disease prevention.

Nurses can design targeted health promotion initiatives and preventive measures that align with individual values by understanding patients’ beliefs and perceptions.

Patient Education and Counseling

Effective communication is key in nursing practice. HBM provides a framework for tailoring educational content and counseling sessions to resonate with patients’ beliefs and motivations.

Adherence to Treatment Plans

Ensuring patient adherence to prescribed treatment plans is a common challenge. HBM helps nurses identify potential barriers and implement strategies to enhance treatment adherence.

How Nurses Can Apply the HBM:

  • Nurses should actively listen to patients, understanding their perspectives on susceptibility, severity, and barriers. This assessment forms the basis for tailoring interventions.
  • Communication should be personalized, addressing individual concerns and presented in clear, concise language without medical jargon. This ensures that information aligns with the patient’s understanding.
  • Highlighting the positive outcomes of adopting healthy behaviors is crucial. Nurses should focus on how these actions can improve the patient’s quality of life and overall well-being.
  • Collaborative efforts to identify and overcome barriers are essential. This may involve finding solutions to resource limitations, transportation difficulties, or cultural constraints.
  • Nurses play a role in building confidence and self-efficacy in patients. Acknowledging their existing strengths and celebrating progress fosters a sense of empowerment.

Benefits of Using the HBM:

  • Understanding patients’ beliefs enhances communication and allows for personalized interventions, building trust and engagement in healthcare.
  • Addressing individual concerns and barriers enables nurses to design interventions that are more likely to be adopted and sustained, ultimately increasing their effectiveness.
  • Application of the HBM contributes to improved patient adherence to treatment plans, better disease management, and, in the broader context, healthier communities

Case Studies: Real-world Examples of HBM in Nursing

Success stories.

Real-world examples highlight the positive impact of applying HBM in nursing practice. These success stories underscore the effectiveness of personalized care based on individual beliefs.

Challenges Faced in Implementing HBM

Despite its benefits, implementing HBM in nursing comes with challenges. Understanding and addressing these challenges are crucial for successful integration into practice.

Critiques and Limitations of the Health Belief Model in Nursing

Addressing the shortcomings.

Critics argue that HBM oversimplifies the complex nature of health behaviors. Nurses must be aware of these limitations and supplement HBM with additional frameworks to ensure comprehensive care.

Combining HBM with Other Models

To enhance the effectiveness of nursing interventions, professionals are exploring the integration of HBM with other theoretical models. This approach aims to address the gaps and provide a more holistic approach to patient care .

Future Trends and Innovations in the Health Belief Model in Nursing

Technological advancements.

Advancements in technology offer new opportunities for integrating HBM into nursing practice. From telehealth to wearable devices, technology enhances communication and monitoring of patients’ health beliefs.

Integrating HBM in Nursing Education

Educating the next generation of nurses on the importance of understanding patients’ beliefs is essential. Integrating HBM into nursing curricula ensures that future professionals are well-equipped to provide patient-centered care.

The Impact of HBM on Patient Outcomes

Statistical evidence supporting the effectiveness of hbm.

Research studies consistently demonstrate the positive impact of applying HBM in nursing practice. Statistical evidence reinforces the importance of personalized care in improving patient outcomes.

Patient Testimonials

Beyond statistics, the voices of patients who have experienced the benefits of HBM provide compelling evidence of its efficacy. Personal stories highlight the significance of understanding and addressing patients’ beliefs.

Nursing Ethics and Health Belief Model

Ensuring patient autonomy.

Respecting patients’ autonomy is a fundamental ethical principle in nursing. Nurses must balance the persuasive elements of HBM with a commitment to respecting patients’ choices and beliefs.

Balancing Persuasion with Respect for Beliefs

Nurses navigate a fine line between encouraging healthy behaviors and respecting diverse beliefs. Ethical considerations are paramount in maintaining trust and collaboration with patients.

Training Nurses in HBM

Incorporating the health belief model in nursing curricula.

To prepare nurses for the challenges of modern healthcare, integrating HBM into nursing curricula is essential. This ensures that future professionals are well-versed in patient-centered care.

Continuous Professional Development

Nursing is a dynamic field, and ongoing education is crucial. Offering continuous professional development opportunities allows nurses to stay updated on the latest developments in applying HBM.

Challenges Faced by Nurses in Implementing HBM

Resistance from patients.

Some patients may resist or be skeptical about adopting new health behaviors. Nurses need effective communication skills to address concerns and build trust.

Overcoming Communication Barriers

Effective communication is paramount in implementing HBM. Nurses must navigate diverse communication styles, cultural differences, and language barriers to ensure the message is understood.

Success Stories: Nurses Making a Difference with HBM

Notable achievements in patient care.

Acknowledging the accomplishments of nurses who have successfully applied HBM encourages others to embrace this approach. Recognizing excellence in patient care motivates the nursing community.

Recognition and Awards

Highlighting nurses who have received recognition and awards for their efforts in implementing HBM promotes a culture of excellence. Recognizing achievements fosters a positive environment within the nursing profession.

HBM and Public Health Initiatives

Collaborations between nurses and public health organizations.

Nurses play a vital role in public health initiatives. Collaborations between nurses and public health organizations strengthen community-based interventions aligned with HBM principles.

Community Engagement and Awareness

Raising awareness about HBM in local communities enhances the model’s effectiveness. Community engagement programs promote a shared understanding of the importance of health beliefs in overall well-being.

Measuring the Effectiveness of the Health Belief Model in Nursing

Evaluating patient outcomes.

Continuous evaluation of patient outcomes provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of HBM in nursing practice. Data-driven assessments help refine interventions and improve patient care.

Continuous Improvement Strategies

Nursing professionals embrace a culture of continuous improvement. Implementing feedback and adjusting strategies based on evolving patient needs ensures the ongoing relevance and effectiveness of HBM.

Global Perspectives on Health Belief Model in Nursing

Cultural considerations.

Adapting HBM to diverse cultural contexts is essential. Understanding and respecting cultural beliefs contribute to the model’s success on a global scale.

International Adoption and Adaptation

The global nursing community can learn from each other’s experiences in adopting and adapting HBM. International collaboration fosters a shared understanding of effective nursing practices.

In the Health Belief Model in Nursing conclusion, the Health Belief Model is a valuable tool in nursing that enhances patient care by considering individual beliefs and perceptions. As nurses continue to embrace this model, it is essential to recognize its successes, address critiques, and adapt to future trends. By understanding and respecting patients’ health beliefs, nurses contribute significantly to improving overall healthcare outcomes.

Is the Health Belief Model suitable for all types of patients?

The Health Belief Model can be adapted for various patient populations, but its effectiveness may vary. It’s essential to consider individual differences and tailor interventions accordingly.

Please note that this article is for informational purposes only and should not substitute professional medical advice.

slkn

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Recent articles, duties and responsibilities of midwife, how to insert a catheter in a female patient -female catheterization, the crede maneuver: a comprehensive guide, factors influencing the growth of bacteria, online clinical psychology master’s degree, immediate nursing care of newborn, download nursing notes pdf, human skeletal system nursing, nursing assignment on sciatic nerve pdf, mental health psychiatric notes, medical surgical nursing notes, pgi staff nurse exam question bank -1, primary health care nursing notes pdf, nursing assignment on bed sore pdf, aiims recruitment question with answers, more like this, gifts for nursing home residents, gift ideas for nursing students, crystalloid and colloid: differences and when to use each, mental health nursing diagnosis care plan pdf, child pediatric health nursing notes -bsc nursing, mid-wifery pdf notes for nursing students, national health programmes in india pdf, reproductive system nursing notes pdf, psychology note nursing pdf, nursingenotes.com.

  • STUDY NOTES
  • SUBJECT NOTES

A Digital Platform For Nursing Study Materials

Latest Articles

Most popular.

© Nursingenotes.com | All rights reserved |

Nursing theories

Open access articles on nursing theories and models.

health belief model nursing

Health Belief Model (HBM)

Introduction.

The Health Belief Model (HBM) is one of the first theories of health behavior.

It was developed in the 1950s by a group of U.S. Public Health Service social psychologists who wanted to explain why so few people were participating in programs to prevent and detect disease.

HBM is a good model for addressing problem behaviors that evoke health concerns (e.g., high-risk sexual behavior and the possibility of contracting HIV) (Croyle RT, 2005)

The health belief model proposes that a person's health-related behavior depends on the person's perception of four critical areas:

the severity of a potential illness,

the person's susceptibility to that illness,

the benefits of taking a preventive action, and

the barriers to taking that action.

HBM is a popular model applied in nursing, especially in issues focusing on patient compliance and preventive health care practices.

The model postulates that health-seeking behaviour is influenced by a person’s perception of a threat posed by a health problem and the value associated with actions aimed at reducing the threat.

HBM addresses the relationship between a person’s beliefs and behaviors. It provides a way to understanding and predicting how clients will behave in relation to their health and how they will comply with health care therapies.

health_belief _model

THE MAJOR CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS OF THE HEALTH PROMOTION MODEL

There are six major concepts in HBM:

1.       Perceived Susceptibility

2.       Perceived severity

3.       Perceived benefits

4.       Perceived costs

5.       Motivation

6.       Enabling or modifying factors

Perceived Susceptibility: refers to a person’s perception that a health problem is personally relevant or that a diagnosis of illness is accurate.

Perceived severity:   even when one recognizes personal susceptibility, action will not occur unless the individual perceives the severity to be high enough to have serious organic or social complications.

Perceived benefits : refers to the patient’s belief that a given treatment will cure the illness or help to prevent it.

Perceived Costs: refers to the complexity, duration, and accessibility and accessibility of the treatment .

Motivation: includes the desire to comply with a treatment and the belief that people should do what.

Modifying factors: include personality variables, patient satisfaction, and socio-demographic factors.  

Criticisms of HBM

Is health behaviour that rational?

Its emphasis on the individual (HBM ignores social and economic factors)

·The absence of a role for emotional factors such as fear and denial.

Alternative factors may predict health behaviour, such as outcome expectancy (whether the person feels they will be healthier as a result of their behaviour) and self-efficacy (the person’s belief in their ability to carry out preventative behaviour) (Seydel et al. 1990; Schwarzer 1992.

Marriner TA, Raile AM. Nursing theorists and their work. 5th ed. Sakraida T.Nola J. Pender. The Health Promotion Model. St Louis: Mosby; 2005

Polit DF, Beck CT. Nursing research:Principles and methods. 7th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2007

Black JM, Hawks JH, Keene AM. Medical surgical nursing. 6th ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier Mosby; 2006.

Potter PA, Perry AG. Fundamentals of nursing. 6th ed. St.Louis: Elsevier Mosby; 2006.

Rosenstoch I. Historical origin of Health Belief model. Health Educ Monogr 2:334, 1974.

  • Croyle RT. Theory at a Glance: Application to Health Promotion and Health Behavior (Second Edition). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, 2005.

Home I About Us I Privacy Policy I Ad Policy I Disclaimer

health belief model nursing

Behavioral Change Models

  •   1  
  • |   2  
  • |   3  
  • |   4  
  • |   5  
  • |   6  
  • |   7  

On This Page sidebar

The Health Belief Model

Limitations of health belief model.

Learn More sidebar

All Modules

The Health Belief Model (HBM) was developed in the early 1950s by social scientists at the U.S. Public Health Service in order to understand the failure of people to adopt disease prevention strategies or screening tests for the early detection of disease. Later uses of HBM were for patients' responses to symptoms and compliance with medical treatments. The HBM suggests that a person's belief in a personal threat of an illness or disease together with a person's belief in the effectiveness of the recommended health behavior or action will predict the likelihood the person will adopt the behavior.

The HBM derives from psychological and behavioral theory with the foundation that the two components of health-related behavior are 1) the desire to avoid illness, or conversely get well if already ill; and, 2) the belief that a specific health action will prevent, or cure, illness. Ultimately, an individual's course of action often depends on the person's perceptions of the benefits and barriers related to health behavior. There are six constructs of the HBM. The first four constructs were developed as the original tenets of the HBM. The last two were added as research about the HBM evolved.

  • Perceived susceptibility - This refers to a person's subjective perception of the risk of acquiring an illness or disease. There is wide variation in a person's feelings of personal vulnerability to an illness or disease.
  • Perceived severity - This refers to a person's feelings on the seriousness of contracting an illness or disease (or leaving the illness or disease untreated). There is wide variation in a person's feelings of severity, and often a person considers the medical consequences (e.g., death, disability) and social consequences (e.g., family life, social relationships) when evaluating the severity.
  • Perceived benefits - This refers to a person's perception of the effectiveness of various actions available to reduce the threat of illness or disease (or to cure illness or disease). The course of action a person takes in preventing (or curing) illness or disease relies on consideration and evaluation of both perceived susceptibility and perceived benefit, such that the person would accept the recommended health action if it was perceived as beneficial.
  • Perceived barriers - This refers to a person's feelings on the obstacles to performing a recommended health action. There is wide variation in a person's feelings of barriers, or impediments, which lead to a cost/benefit analysis. The person weighs the effectiveness of the actions against the perceptions that it may be expensive, dangerous (e.g., side effects), unpleasant (e.g., painful), time-consuming, or inconvenient.
  • Cue to action - This is the stimulus needed to trigger the decision-making process to accept a recommended health action. These cues can be internal (e.g., chest pains, wheezing, etc.) or external (e.g., advice from others, illness of family member, newspaper article, etc.).
  • Self-efficacy - This refers to the level of a person's confidence in his or her ability to successfully perform a behavior. This construct was added to the model most recently in mid-1980. Self-efficacy is a construct in many behavioral theories as it directly relates to whether a person performs the desired behavior.

There are several limitations of the HBM which limit its utility in public health. Limitations of the model include the following:

  • It does not account for a person's attitudes, beliefs, or other individual determinants that dictate a person's acceptance of a health behavior.
  • It does not take into account behaviors that are habitual and thus may inform the decision-making process to accept a recommended action (e.g., smoking).
  • It does not take into account behaviors that are performed for non-health related reasons such as social acceptability.
  • It does not account for environmental or economic factors that may prohibit or promote the recommended action.
  • It assumes that everyone has access to equal amounts of information on the illness or disease.
  • It assumes that cues to action are widely prevalent in encouraging people to act and that "health" actions are the main goal in the decision-making process.

The HBM is more descriptive than explanatory, and does not suggest a strategy for changing health-related actions. In preventive health behaviors, early studies showed that perceived susceptibility, benefits, and barriers were consistently associated with the desired health behavior; perceived severity was less often associated with the desired health behavior. The individual constructs are useful, depending on the health outcome of interest, but for the most effective use of the model it should be integrated with other models that account for the environmental context and suggest strategies for change.

return to top | previous page | next page

Content ©2022. All Rights Reserved. Date last modified: November 3, 2022. Boston University School of Public Health

health belief model nursing

The Health Belief Model: A Comprehensive Guide for Health Professionals

Author Image

by Inge von Aulock // in Wellness

The Health Belief Model isn’t just another theoretical framework. It’s a game-changer for health professionals.

In the realm of health behavior, the Health Belief Model stands tall, a grand theory that has shaped countless successful health interventions. It’s not just about understanding patient behaviors, it’s about predicting them, influencing them, and ultimately improving patient outcomes.

But how exactly does it work?

This guide will take you through the core concepts of the Health Belief Model, its evolution, and its real-world applications. You’ll learn how it’s used in public health interventions and clinical settings, and why it’s considered a grand theory of health behavior. We’ll also delve into its role in nursing practice, education, and research.

Ready to unlock the power of the Health Belief Model? Let’s get started.

Understanding the Health Belief Model: A Comprehensive Overview

  • Unpack the six core concepts of the Health Belief Model.
  • Trace the evolution of the model and its relevance in predicting health behaviors.

The Core Concepts of the Health Belief Model

The Health Belief Model (HBM) is a psychological model that attempts to explain and predict health behaviors. It’s based on the understanding that a person’s belief in a personal threat of an illness or disease, together with their belief in the effectiveness of the recommended health behavior, can predict the likelihood the person will adopt the behavior.

Perceived Susceptibility

Perceived susceptibility refers to a person’s subjective perception of the risk of contracting a health condition. This perception varies among individuals and can influence their health behaviors. For instance, if a person believes they are at high risk of developing lung cancer, they may be more likely to quit smoking.

Perceived Severity

Perceived severity involves the belief about the seriousness of contracting an illness or of leaving it untreated. It includes evaluations of both medical and clinical consequences (such as death, disability, and pain) and possible social consequences (such as effects on work, family life, and social relationships).

Perceived Benefits

Perceived benefits refer to a person’s belief in the efficacy of the advised action to reduce risk or seriousness of impact. For example, a person may believe that quitting smoking will decrease their risk of lung cancer.

Perceived Barriers

Perceived barriers involve a person’s belief in the tangible and psychological costs of the advised action. These could include the cost of new equipment, unpleasant side effects, inconvenience, and time consumption.

Cues to Action

Cues to action are the triggers for the health-promoting behavior. They can be internal (such as symptoms) or external (such as advice from others, media reports).

Self-Efficacy

Self-efficacy, the last construct, was added later to the model. It refers to an individual’s confidence in their ability to successfully perform an action. This concept is crucial as it directly influences the decision to act.

The Evolution of the Health Belief Model

The Health Belief Model was originally developed in the 1950s by social psychologists at the U.S. Public Health Service. The aim was to understand the widespread failure of people to participate in programs to prevent and detect disease. Over time, the model has been adapted and expanded to better predict health behaviors.

The Original Model

The original model included only four constructs: perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers. It was primarily used to explain health behaviors related to the detection and prevention of diseases.

The Expanded Model

In the 1980s, two additional constructs were added: cues to action and self-efficacy. The expanded model has been used to study a wider range of health behaviors, including responses to symptoms and compliance with medical treatments.

The Current Model

Today, the Health Belief Model is one of the most widely recognized and used theories in health behavior research. It has been applied to a broad range of health behaviors and populations, demonstrating its versatility and applicability.

The Health Belief Model is a powerful tool for understanding and predicting health behaviors. By understanding its core concepts and evolution, health professionals can better design and implement effective health promotion programs.

The Health Belief Model in Practice: Real-World Applications

  • The Health Belief Model (HBM) is a powerful tool for designing effective public health interventions.
  • Health professionals can leverage the HBM to understand patient behaviors and improve outcomes.
  • Real-world examples illustrate the practical application of the HBM in both public health and clinical settings.

Using the Health Belief Model in Public Health Interventions

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other health organizations frequently employ the Health Belief Model to design health campaigns. The HBM’s focus on individual beliefs about health conditions and perceptions of benefits and barriers to action makes it an effective framework for these initiatives.

For instance, the CDC’s anti-smoking campaign, “ Tips From Former Smokers ,” used the HBM to motivate behavior change. The campaign highlighted the severe health risks of smoking (perceived severity) and shared personal stories from former smokers (cues to action). As a result, the CDC reported that the campaign led to an estimated 1.64 million smokers making a quit attempt in 2012.

Another successful application of the HBM is in HIV prevention programs. These interventions often emphasize the susceptibility of individuals to HIV (perceived susceptibility) and promote condom use as a beneficial preventive measure (perceived benefits). A study published in the Journal of Health Communication found that such programs significantly increased condom use among participants.

The Health Belief Model in Clinical Settings

In clinical settings, health professionals can use the Health Belief Model to better understand patient behaviors and improve patient outcomes. The HBM can guide patient counseling and education by helping professionals assess a patient’s perceived susceptibility to illness, perceived severity of the condition, perceived benefits of treatment, and perceived barriers to action.

For example, a study in the Journal of Medical Internet Research found that using the HBM in counseling sessions improved medication adherence among patients with chronic diseases. The study reported a 20% increase in adherence rates, demonstrating the practical utility of the HBM in patient care.

The HBM can also be used in patient education to promote preventive behaviors. A study in the American Journal of Health Behavior found that an educational intervention based on the HBM significantly increased physical activity among older adults. The intervention emphasized the benefits of physical activity (perceived benefits) and provided strategies to overcome barriers (perceived barriers), leading to a 30% increase in physical activity levels.

The Health Belief Model is a valuable tool in both public health interventions and clinical settings. Its focus on individual perceptions and beliefs allows health professionals to design effective strategies for promoting health behaviors and improving patient outcomes.

The Health Belief Model: A Grand Theory of Health Behavior

  • The Health Belief Model (HBM) is a grand theory that provides a comprehensive framework for understanding health behaviors.
  • This section will delve into the characteristics of grand theories and how the HBM fits into this category.
  • We will also compare the HBM with other health behavior theories, such as the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Social Cognitive Theory.

The Health Belief Model as a Grand Theory

Grand theories are comprehensive conceptual frameworks that provide a broad perspective on a particular field of study. They are characterized by their wide scope, high level of abstraction, and their ability to integrate various concepts and phenomena.

The Health Belief Model (HBM) fits into this category as it provides a comprehensive framework for understanding health behaviors. It proposes that health behaviors are determined by personal beliefs or perceptions about a disease and the strategies available to decrease its occurrence.

The HBM is a grand theory because it encompasses a wide range of health behaviors and can be applied to a variety of health-related situations. It integrates various concepts such as perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers to health behavior.

However, like any grand theory, the HBM has its strengths and limitations. One of its strengths is its broad applicability. It can be used to understand a wide range of health behaviors, from preventive behaviors such as vaccination and screening to health-promoting behaviors such as exercise and healthy eating.

On the other hand, one of the limitations of the HBM as a grand theory is its level of abstraction. While it provides a broad framework for understanding health behaviors, it may not provide detailed explanations for specific behaviors. For instance, it may not fully explain why some people choose to smoke despite knowing the health risks.

Comparing the Health Belief Model to Other Health Behavior Theories

When compared to other health behavior theories, the HBM holds its own. For instance, the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) posits that behavior is driven by behavioral intentions which are influenced by attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. While the TPB provides a more detailed explanation of the decision-making process, the HBM offers a broader perspective on health behaviors.

Similarly, the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) emphasizes the role of observational learning, self-efficacy, and outcome expectations in health behavior. While the SCT provides a more comprehensive understanding of the social and cognitive factors influencing health behavior, the HBM focuses more on individual perceptions and beliefs.

In essence, while each of these theories offers valuable insights into health behavior, the HBM stands out for its broad applicability and its focus on individual beliefs and perceptions. It provides a valuable framework for understanding why people engage in certain health behaviors and how these behaviors can be changed.

For further reading on the Health Belief Model and its comparison with other health behavior theories, consider the following books:

  • “ Health Behavior: Theory, Research, and Practice ” by Karen Glanz, Barbara K. Rimer, and K. Viswanath
  • “ Health Behavior and Health Education: Theory, Research, and Practice ” by Karen Glanz, Frances Marcus Lewis, and Barbara K. Rimer

These books provide a comprehensive overview of the HBM and other health behavior theories, and they delve deeper into the strengths and limitations of each theory. They also provide practical strategies for applying these theories in health education and promotion.

The Health Belief Model in Nursing: A Useful Framework for Patient Care

  • The Health Belief Model (HBM) is a valuable tool for nurses to guide patient care and improve outcomes.
  • The HBM can be used in nursing education and research to enhance understanding and application of health behaviors.
  • The HBM is not a nursing theory per se, but a health behavior theory that is widely used in nursing practice.

The Role of the Health Belief Model in Nursing Practice

The Health Belief Model (HBM) is a psychological model that attempts to explain and predict health behaviors. It is based on the understanding that a person’s belief in a personal threat of an illness or disease, together with a person’s belief in the effectiveness of the recommended health behavior, will predict the likelihood the person will adopt the behavior.

In nursing practice, the HBM can be a useful framework for understanding patient behaviors and guiding patient care. For instance, a nurse can use the HBM to assess a patient’s perceived susceptibility to a health condition, perceived severity of the condition, perceived benefits of taking action, and perceived barriers to taking action. This assessment can then inform the nurse’s approach to patient education and intervention.

For example, if a patient with diabetes perceives that their condition is not severe, a nurse can use the HBM to guide their education about the potential complications of uncontrolled diabetes. The nurse can also address perceived barriers to taking action, such as the patient’s belief that managing diabetes is too difficult or time-consuming.

The Health Belief Model in Nursing Education and Research

The HBM is not only useful in nursing practice, but also in nursing education and research. In nursing education, the HBM can be used to teach nursing students about health behavior theories and their application in patient care. For instance, nursing students can learn how to use the HBM to assess patient beliefs and guide patient education and intervention.

In nursing research, the HBM can be used as a theoretical framework for studying health behaviors. For example, a nursing researcher might use the HBM to study the factors that influence a patient’s decision to adhere to a medication regimen or to participate in a disease prevention program.

Several nursing research studies have used the HBM as a framework. For instance, a study published in the Journal of Community Health Nursing used the HBM to explore the beliefs and behaviors of African American women regarding breast cancer screening. The study found that the women’s beliefs about breast cancer and mammography, as predicted by the HBM, significantly influenced their screening behaviors.

Is Health Belief Model a Nursing Theory?

While the HBM is widely used in nursing practice, education, and research, it is not a nursing theory per se. Rather, it is a health behavior theory that was developed by social psychologists in the U.S. Public Health Service to explain and predict health behaviors, particularly in response to health services and screening tests.

However, the HBM has been adopted and adapted by nurses and other health professionals to guide their practice and research. In this sense, the HBM can be considered a conceptual framework that is used in nursing, rather than a nursing theory.

Further Exploration of the Health Belief Model

For those interested in delving deeper into the HBM, there are several resources available. “Health Behavior and Health Education: Theory, Research, and Practice” by Karen Glanz, Barbara K. Rimer, and K. Viswanath provides a comprehensive overview of the HBM and other health behavior theories. “The Health Belief Model in the Research of AIDS-Related Preventive Behavior” by N. Schneider is a research study that uses the HBM as a framework.

In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers resources on the HBM and its application in public health practice. The CDC’s website includes a section on the HBM in its “Health Communication Basics” module, which provides an overview of the model and examples of its use in health communication campaigns.

Further Resources and Reading on the Health Belief Model

The Health Belief Model (HBM) is a powerful tool for health professionals. To further your understanding and application of this model, we’ve compiled a list of essential resources. These include key texts and articles, online tools, and real-world case studies.

Key Texts and Articles on the Health Belief Model

The HBM has been the subject of numerous scholarly articles and texts. These resources delve into the theoretical underpinnings of the model, its evolution over time, and its application in various health contexts.

For a deeper exploration of the Health Belief Model and its applications across health psychology, nursing practice, public health interventions, and research, the following key texts and articles are invaluable. While I can’t provide live links or guarantee the availability of these resources online, they can typically be found through academic libraries, publishers, or platforms like Google Scholar:

Key Texts on the Health Belief Model

  • This comprehensive book provides an in-depth look at the Health Belief Model among other theories, making it a crucial resource for students, researchers, and practitioners interested in health psychology.
  • Focused on a specific application of the HBM, this text explores how the model has been used to understand and influence AIDS-related preventive behaviors.
  • Although broader in scope, this handbook discusses the HBM in the context of designing and implementing effective health behavior change interventions.

Influential Articles on the Health Belief Model

  • Published in “Health Education & Behavior,” this article provides a detailed examination of the HBM and its effectiveness in predicting health behaviors.
  • This research article demonstrates the application of the HBM in understanding the intentions behind health behaviors, specifically focusing on HIV testing among Chinese college students.
  • A critical analysis of the HBM, this article discusses the strengths and limitations of the model in health promotion settings, offering insights into how it can be effectively utilized and where it may fall short.

These resources are just a starting point for exploring the rich field of health psychology and the specific applications of the Health Belief Model. They offer theoretical insights, practical advice, and real-world examples of how understanding and leveraging individual beliefs can significantly impact health behaviors and outcomes.

Foundational Texts and Articles on the Health Belief Model

Understanding the theoretical foundations of the HBM is crucial for its effective application. These resources provide a deep dive into the model’s origins, its key constructs, and how it has been adapted over time.

  • Published in Health Education & Behavior , this article revisits the HBM ten years after its initial development, offering insights into its theoretical underpinnings and applications.
  • This book is considered a seminal work on the HBM, discussing its early applications in preventive health behavior and public health campaigns.
  • A comprehensive text that includes a detailed discussion on the HBM, providing a thorough understanding of its theoretical basis and practical applications in health behavior research.

Scholarly Articles on the Evolution and Application of the HBM

  • Published in Nursing & Health Sciences , this article explores how nurses can apply the HBM in clinical settings to encourage healthy behaviors among patients.
  • An example of how the HBM is applied in research to understand and influence specific health behaviors, such as vaccination.
  • Published in Health Education Research , this meta-analysis evaluates the effectiveness of the HBM’s constructs in predicting health-related behavior, highlighting its strengths and areas for development.

Online Lectures and Educational Resources

  • Many universities and educational institutions offer online lectures or course modules on health behavior theories, including the HBM. These can be valuable for understanding the model in the context of other health behavior theories.
  • Offers webinars and talks by experts in the field of health psychology, often discussing the application and theoretical underpinnings of models like the HBM.

Academic Platforms for Access

  • A freely accessible web search engine that indexes the full text or metadata of scholarly literature across an array of publishing formats and disciplines.
  • A free search engine accessing primarily the MEDLINE database of references and abstracts on life sciences and biomedical topics.
  • A database maintained by the American Psychological Association (APA), offering abstracts and citations to scholarly literature in the psychological, social, behavioral, and health sciences.

These resources can provide a solid foundation for anyone looking to explore the theoretical aspects of the Health Belief Model, understand its key constructs, and appreciate its evolution and adaptability in addressing a wide range of health behaviors.

The Health Belief Model in Practice

These resources focus on the practical application of the HBM in various health contexts. They provide insights into how the model can be used to predict health behaviors and inform health interventions.

Journals are a rich source of case studies, research articles, and reviews focusing on the application of the HBM in health psychology and public health. Key journals include:

  • Health Psychology
  • Journal of Health Communication
  • Preventive Medicine
  • Journal of Behavioral Medicine

Search for articles in these journals using databases like PubMed, PsycINFO, or Google Scholar with keywords like “Health Belief Model application” or “HBM in public health interventions.

Several health psychology textbooks and specific books on health behavior theories discuss the HBM’s application in detail. Look for:

  • “Health Behavior: Theory, Research, and Practice” by Karen Glanz, Barbara K. Rimer, and K. Viswanath : Provides comprehensive coverage of the HBM and its applications.
  • “The Handbook of Health Behavior Change” edited by Kristin A. Riekert, Jacqueline Dunbar-Jacob, and Molly W. Byrne : Offers insights into how the HBM can be used to facilitate health behavior change.

These books are available through academic libraries or can be purchased from online book retailers.

Online Resources and Tools for Applying the Health Belief Model

The internet offers a wealth of resources and tools for health professionals looking to apply the HBM. These include online courses, webinars, and interactive tools that can aid in the design and implementation of HBM-based interventions.

Online Tools and Resources

  • The CDC offers modules and resources that discuss the use of the HBM in designing public health campaigns and interventions.
  • The Society provides a wealth of resources, including articles and webinars on the application of psychological models like the HBM in healthcare.

Online Courses and Webinars

Online courses and webinars offer an interactive way to learn about the HBM. They provide opportunities for professionals to learn from experts in the field, ask questions, and engage in discussions with peers.

Academic Institutions and Professional Organizations

  • Coursera and edX : Look for health psychology or public health courses. While they may not focus solely on the HBM, many will include it as part of the curriculum on health behavior models.
  • American Psychological Association (APA) Continuing Education : APA often offers webinars and online courses for continuing education credits that include topics on health psychology and behavior change models.
  • Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) : SOPHE provides webinars and training for health education professionals, which sometimes focus on behavior change theories like the HBM.
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Training : The CDC offers various online training and webinars that sometimes cover health behavior theories in the context of public health interventions.

Online Learning Platforms

  • LinkedIn Learning : This platform offers courses on a wide range of topics, including psychology and sometimes specific theories like the HBM.
  • Udemy : Search for health psychology or behavioral change courses. While broader in scope, some courses may cover the HBM as part of their curriculum.

Finding Webinars

  • Professional Health Psychology Associations : Many associations regularly host webinars on current topics in health psychology. Check the websites of professional associations in your country or internationally.
  • ResearchGate and Academia.edu : These platforms for academics and researchers sometimes host webinars or share announcements about upcoming online courses and webinars.

Tips for Searching

  • Use specific search terms like “Health Belief Model online course” or “Health Belief Model webinar” in search engines.
  • Check the credibility of the course provider and the qualifications of the instructors.
  • Look for courses that offer interactive elements, like live Q&A sessions, to enhance your learning experience.
  • Consider courses that provide continuing education units (CEUs) if you are a professional seeking to maintain licensure or certification.

Interactive Tools

Interactive tools can aid in the design and implementation of HBM-based interventions. These tools can help professionals visualize the model’s constructs, assess patient beliefs, and develop tailored interventions.

Types of Interactive Tools for the Health Belief Model

  • Tools like SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, and Qualtrics can be used to design custom surveys or questionnaires based on the HBM’s constructs. These can help assess patient or population beliefs about health behaviors.
  • Platforms like Tableau, Microsoft Power BI, or even Excel offer capabilities to visualize data related to the HBM constructs, which can be helpful in both research and practice to identify patterns or areas of focus for interventions.
  • Applications like MindMeister or Coggle can be used to create mind maps of HBM constructs and their relationships to specific health behaviors or interventions, aiding in the planning and design of health promotion strategies.
  • Some health apps incorporate HBM constructs to encourage behavior change. Look for apps designed for health promotion or disease prevention that include features for tracking perceived barriers, benefits, susceptibility, and severity, as well as cues to action and self-efficacy.
  • Platforms that offer e-learning courses on health psychology or the HBM, like Moodle or Blackboard, may include interactive quizzes, discussion boards, and other tools to engage with the HBM more deeply.

Creating Custom Interactive Tools

For health professionals interested in creating bespoke interactive tools tailored to their specific needs, consider the following approaches:

  • Custom Surveys and Questionnaires : Utilize online survey platforms to develop questionnaires that measure patients’ perceptions according to the HBM’s key constructs.
  • Interactive Workshops : Design workshops using Zoom or Microsoft Teams, incorporating live polls, breakout rooms for discussion, and interactive Q&A sessions focused on HBM principles.
  • Educational Videos and Quizzes : Use platforms like Edpuzzle to create interactive video content that quizzes viewers on HBM concepts, enhancing learning and retention.

Where to Look for Interactive Tools

  • Professional Health Psychology Websites : Websites of professional organizations often share resources, including interactive tools or links to software applications useful in health psychology practice.
  • Academic Journals and Publications : Articles on the application of the HBM in health interventions sometimes mention specific tools or software used in research or practice.
  • Online Health Professional Communities : Forums like Reddit’s r/healthpsychology or specialized LinkedIn groups can be excellent sources for recommendations on interactive tools and software.

Remember, the effectiveness of any tool depends on its alignment with your specific goals and the needs of your target population. Whether you’re adopting existing tools or creating your own, focus on how they can best facilitate understanding and applying the HBM constructs to improve health outcomes.

Wrapping Up: The Power of the Health Belief Model

The Health Belief Model, with its six core constructs, has evolved into a grand theory of health behavior. Its practical applications in public health interventions, clinical settings, and nursing practice have proven its effectiveness. It stands tall among other health behavior theories, offering a comprehensive framework for understanding and influencing health behaviors.

This model is not just a theoretical construct; it’s a tool that can be wielded to improve patient outcomes and guide health campaigns. It’s a lens through which we can better understand the complex interplay of beliefs, perceptions, and actions in the realm of health.

Dive deeper into the Health Belief Model. Explore the key texts, online resources, and case studies we’ve listed. Apply it in your practice, use it in your research, or incorporate it into your health education efforts.

How will you use the Health Belief Model to enhance your professional practice or to design more effective health interventions?

Remember, understanding health behaviors is just the first step. The real magic happens when we use that understanding to create positive change. So, go forth and make a difference with the Health Belief Model as your guide.

Author Image

About the author, Inge von Aulock

I'm Inge, co-founder of Cope Lab. I'm obsessed with productivity. I've been using the Placebo Effect to hack my brain and be productive AF for many years. And now you can too.

health belief model nursing

  • Subscribe to journal Subscribe
  • Get new issue alerts Get alerts

Secondary Logo

Journal logo.

Colleague's E-mail is Invalid

Your message has been successfully sent to your colleague.

Save my selection

Using the Health Belief Model to Examine Adherence to Preventive Measures Among Nursing Students During COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Okoli, Chizimuzo; Brouwer, Kent R.; Walmsley, Lee Anne

About the Authors The authors are faculty at the University of Kentucky College of Nursing, Lexington, Kentucky. Chizimuzo Okoli, PhD, MPH, APRN, PMHNP-BC, FAAN, is a professor. Kent R. Brouwer, DNP, RN, is an instructor. Lee Anne Walmsley, PhD, EdS, RN, is an assistant professor. For more information, contact Dr. Okoli at [email protected] .

The authors have declared no conflict of interest.

Associations between health belief model constructs and engagement in COVID-19 preventive practices were examined in a population of 234 nursing students. Most (93 percent/68 percent, respectively) reported occasionally/frequently performing 6-feet physical distancing and wearing face masks/covering in public. Among health belief model constructs, perceived benefits were significantly associated with practicing physical distancing; perceived barriers were associated with lower likelihood. Perceived self-efficacy was associated with a greater likelihood of wearing face masks/covering in public. Nursing students should be provided timely and relevant information on preventive measures based on the recognition of different risk appraisals among students.

Full Text Access for Subscribers:

Individual subscribers.

health belief model nursing

Institutional Users

Not a subscriber.

You can read the full text of this article if you:

  • + Favorites
  • View in Gallery

Information

  • Author Services

Initiatives

You are accessing a machine-readable page. In order to be human-readable, please install an RSS reader.

All articles published by MDPI are made immediately available worldwide under an open access license. No special permission is required to reuse all or part of the article published by MDPI, including figures and tables. For articles published under an open access Creative Common CC BY license, any part of the article may be reused without permission provided that the original article is clearly cited. For more information, please refer to https://www.mdpi.com/openaccess .

Feature papers represent the most advanced research with significant potential for high impact in the field. A Feature Paper should be a substantial original Article that involves several techniques or approaches, provides an outlook for future research directions and describes possible research applications.

Feature papers are submitted upon individual invitation or recommendation by the scientific editors and must receive positive feedback from the reviewers.

Editor’s Choice articles are based on recommendations by the scientific editors of MDPI journals from around the world. Editors select a small number of articles recently published in the journal that they believe will be particularly interesting to readers, or important in the respective research area. The aim is to provide a snapshot of some of the most exciting work published in the various research areas of the journal.

Original Submission Date Received: .

  • Active Journals
  • Find a Journal
  • Proceedings Series
  • For Authors
  • For Reviewers
  • For Editors
  • For Librarians
  • For Publishers
  • For Societies
  • For Conference Organizers
  • Open Access Policy
  • Institutional Open Access Program
  • Special Issues Guidelines
  • Editorial Process
  • Research and Publication Ethics
  • Article Processing Charges
  • Testimonials
  • Preprints.org
  • SciProfiles
  • Encyclopedia

healthcare-logo

Article Menu

health belief model nursing

  • Subscribe SciFeed
  • Recommended Articles
  • Google Scholar
  • on Google Scholar
  • Table of Contents

Find support for a specific problem in the support section of our website.

Please let us know what you think of our products and services.

Visit our dedicated information section to learn more about MDPI.

JSmol Viewer

The role of health belief model constructs and content creator characteristics in social media engagement: insights from covid-19 vaccine tweets.

health belief model nursing

1. Introduction

1.1. hbm construct and social media messages, 1.2. social media user engagement, 1.3. the present study.

  • RQ1: Which constructs of the HBM are evident in COVID-19 vaccine tweets?
  • RQ2: What are the demographic characteristics of the Twitter content creators responsible for generating tweets about the COVID-19 vaccine?
  • RQ3: Do the demographic characteristics of Twitter content creators use specific HBM constructs in their tweets?
  • RQ4: Are there specific demographic characteristics associated with Twitter content creators that result in higher user engagement?
  • RQ5: What HBM constructs are typically used in tweets that lead to higher user engagement?

2.1. Sample

  • Selection Based on Significant Events: To ensure the sample was relevant to significant COVID-19 vaccine events, at least one significant event related to the COVID-19 vaccine (e.g., CDC recommends pausing the J&J vaccine) had to have occurred on that date.
  • Exclusion of Retweets: Our study focused on the characteristics of tweets and creators leading to user engagement. Therefore, we included only original tweets and excluded retweets.
  • High Engagement Tweets: Our sample prioritized tweets with high user engagement that consisted of the top 1000 tweets with the most retweets and the top 1000 tweets with the most favorites.
  • Bot Exclusion: To filter out bot-generated tweets, Botometer was used, a tool that assigns a Complete Automation Probability (CAP) score to each Twitter account. Accounts with a CAP score above 95% were labeled as bots.

2.2. Coding Scheme

2.3. coding procedures, 2.4. data analysis, 3.1. descriptive statistics, 3.2. characteristics of covid-19 vaccine-related posts, 3.3. characteristics of content creators and user engagement, 3.4. characteristics of content creators and use of hbm in social media posts, 3.5. relationship between hbm use in social media posts and user engagement, 4. discussion, 4.1. implications, 4.2. limitations and future research, 5. conclusions, supplementary materials, author contributions, institutional review board statement, informed consent statement, data availability statement, conflicts of interest.

  • Su, Z.; Wen, J.; McDonnell, D.; Goh, E.; Li, X.; Šegalo, S.; Ahmad, J.; Cheshmehzangi, A.; Xiang, Y.-T. Vaccines are not yet a silver bullet: The imperative of continued communication about the importance of COVID-19 safety measures. Brain Behav. Immun. Health 2021 , 12 , 100204. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Jia, X.; Ahn, S.; Carcioppolo, N. Measuring information overload and message fatigue toward COVID-19 prevention messages in USA and China. Health Promot. Int. 2023 , 38 , daac003. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Chaurasia, R.; Ghose, U. Social media and the COVID-19 pandemic: Boons and banes. Digit. Innov. Pandemics 2022 , 183–223. [ Google Scholar ]
  • Huang, Q.; Mao, B.; Jia, X.; Peng, W. COVID-19 information overload mediated the effects of cross-channel information differences on health information elaboration. J. Health Commun. 2023 , 28 , 401–411. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Abuhashesh, M.Y.; Al-Dmour, H.; Masa’deh, R.; Salman, A.; Al-Dmour, R.; Boguszewicz-Kreft, M.; AlAmaireh, Q.N. The Role of Social Media in Raising Public Health Awareness during the Pandemic COVID-19: An International Comparative Study. Informatics 2021 , 8 , 80. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Mao, B.; Jia, X.; Huang, Q. How do information overload and message fatigue reduce information processing in the era of COVID-19? An ability–motivation approach. J. Inf. Sci. 2022 , 01655515221118047. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Bonnevie, E.; Gallegos-Jeffrey, A.; Goldbarg, J.; Byrd, B.; Smyser, J. Quantifying the rise of vaccine opposition on Twitter during the COVID-19 pandemic. J. Commun. Health 2020 , 14 , 12–19. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Puri, N.; Coomes, E.A.; Haghbayan, H.; Gunaratne, K. Social media and vaccine hesitancy: New updates for the era of COVID-19 and globalized infectious diseases. Hum. Vaccines Immunother. 2020 , 16 , 2586–2593. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Gillani, N.; Yuan, A.; Saveski, M.; Vosoughi, S.; Roy, D. Me, My Echo Chamber, and I. In Proceedings of the 2018 World Wide Web Conference, Lyon, France, 23–27 April 2018; pp. 823–831. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Rosenstock, I.M. Historical Origins of the Health Belief Model. Health Educ. Monogr. 1974 , 2 , 328–335. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Glanz, K.; Rimer, B.K.; Viswanath, K. Health Behavior and Health Education: Theory, Research, and Practice ; Jossey-Bass: Hoboken, NJ, USA, 2008. [ Google Scholar ]
  • Alhaimer, R.; Villace, T. The health belief model: Evaluating governmental public health messages on social media aimed at preventing a COVID-19 epidemic in Kuwait. Cogent Bus. Manag. 2022 , 9 , 2031682. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Zhang, X.; Baker, K.; Pember, S.; Bissell, K. Persuading Me to Eat Healthy: A Content Analysis of YouTube Public Service Announcements Grounded in the Health Belief Model. South. Commun. J. 2017 , 82 , 38–51. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Guidry, J.P.; Carlyle, K.E.; LaRose, J.G.; Perrin, P.; Messner, M.; Ryan, M. Using the Health Belief Model to Analyze Instagram Posts about Zika for Public Health Communications. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 2019 , 25 , 179–180. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Raamkumar, A.S.; Tan, S.G.; Wee, H.L. Use of Health Belief Model–Based Deep Learning Classifiers for COVID-19 Social Media Content to Examine Public Perceptions of Physical Distancing: Model Development and Case Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2020 , 6 , e20493. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
  • Du, J.; Cunningham, R.M.; Xiang, Y.; Li, F.; Jia, Y.; Boom, J.A.; Myneni, S.; Bian, J.; Luo, C.; Chen, Y.; et al. Leveraging deep learning to understand health beliefs about the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine from social media. NPJ Digit. Med. 2019 , 2 , 27. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Guidry, J.P.; Laestadius, L.I.; Vraga, E.K.; Miller, C.A.; Perrin, P.B.; Burton, C.W.; Ryan, M.; Fuemmeler, B.F.; Carlyle, K.E. Willingness to get the COVID-19 vaccine with and without emergency use authorization. Am. J. Infect. Control 2021 , 49 , 137–142. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Anuar, H.; Shah, S.A.; Gafor, H.; Mahmood, M.I.; Ghazi, H.F. Usage of Health Belief Model (HBM) in health behavior: A systematic review. Malays. J. Med. Health Sci. 2020 , 16 , 2636–9346. [ Google Scholar ]
  • Becker, M.H. The health belief model and personal health behavior. Health Educ. Monogr. 1974 , 2 , 324–473. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Carpenter, C.J. A Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of Health Belief Model Variables in Predicting Behavior. Health Commun. 2010 , 25 , 661–669. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
  • Harrison, J.A.; Mullen, P.D.; Green, L.W. A meta-analysis of studies of the Health Belief Model with adults. Health Educ. Res. 1992 , 7 , 107–116. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Janz, N.K.; Becker, M.H. The Health Belief Model: A Decade Later. Health Educ. Q. 1984 , 11 , 1–47. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Jones, C.L.; Jensen, J.D.; Scherr, C.L.; Brown, N.R.; Christy, K.; Weaver, J. The Health Belief Model as an Explanatory Framework in Communication Research: Exploring Parallel, Serial, and Moderated Mediation. Health Commun. 2015 , 30 , 566–576. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
  • Zimmerman, R.S.; Vernberg, D. Models of preventative health behavior: Comparison, critique and meta-analysis. In Advances in Medical Sociology, Health Behavior Models: A Reformulation ; Albrecht, G., Ed.; JAI Press: Greenwich, CT, USA, 1994; pp. 45–67. [ Google Scholar ]
  • Chen, M.-F.; Wang, R.-H.; Schneider, J.K.; Tsai, C.-T.; Jiang, D.D.-S.; Hung, M.-N.; Lin, L.-J. Using the Health Belief Model to Understand Caregiver Factors Influencing Childhood Influenza Vaccinations. J. Community Health Nurs. 2011 , 28 , 29–40. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
  • Mesch, G.S.; Schwirian, K.P. Social and political determinants of vaccine hesitancy: Lessons learned from the H1N1 pandemic of 2009–2010. Am. J. Infect. Control 2015 , 43 , 1161–1165. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Smith, P.J.; Humiston, S.G.; Marcuse, E.K.; Zhao, Z.; Dorell, C.G.; Howes, C.; Hibbs, B. Parental Delay or Refusal of Vaccine Doses, Childhood Vaccination Coverage at 24 Months of Age, and the Health Belief Model. Public Health Rep. 2011 , 126 , 135–146. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
  • Donadiki, E.M.; Jiménez-García, R.; Hernández-Barrera, V.; Sourtzi, P.; Carrasco-Garrido, P.; de Andrés, A.L.; Velonakis, E.G. Health Belief Model applied to non-compliance with HPV vaccine among female university students. Public Health 2014 , 128 , 268–273. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Terrasse, M.; Gorin, M.; Sisti, D. Social media, e-health, and medical ethics. Hastings Cent. Rep. 2019 , 49 , 24–33. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • O’Brien, H.L.; Toms, E.G. What is user engagement? A conceptual framework for defining user engagement with technology. J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci. Technol. 2008 , 59 , 938–955. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Schivinski, B.; Christodoulides, G.; Dabrowski, D. Measuring Consumers’ Engagement with Brand-Related Social-Media Content. J. Advert. Res. 2016 , 56 , 64–80. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Bryła, P.; Chatterjee, S.; Ciabiada-Bryła, B. The Impact of Social Media Marketing on Consumer Engagement in Sustainable Consumption: A Systematic Literature Review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022 , 19 , 16637. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Ibrahim, N.F.; Wang, X.; Bourne, H. Exploring the effect of user engagement in online brand communities: Evidence from Twitter. Comput. Hum. Behav. 2017 , 72 , 321–338. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Voorveld, H.A.M.; van Noort, G.; Muntinga, D.G.; Bronner, F. Engagement with Social Media and Social Media Advertising: The Differentiating Role of Platform Type. J. Advert. 2018 , 47 , 38–54. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Manthanam, A.; Sanghvi, H.; Saini, G.; Patel, K.; Agarwal, V. Impact of content, context and creator on user engagement on Instagram. Int. J. Multidiscip.Res. 2022 , 4 , 1–7. [ Google Scholar ]
  • Gilbert, E.; Bakhshi, S.; Chang, S.; Terveen, L. "I need to try this"? A statistical overview of Pinterest. In Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Paris, France, 27 April–2 May 2013; pp. 2427–2436. [ Google Scholar ]
  • Jaakonmäki, R.; Müller, O.; Vom Brocke, J. The impact of content, context, and creator on user engagement in social media marketing. In Proceedings of the 50th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, Hawaii, USA, 4–7 January 2017. [ Google Scholar ]
  • Chandler, R.; Guillaume, D.; Parker, A.G.; Mack, A.; Hamilton, J.; Dorsey, J.; Hernandez, N.D. The impact of COVID-19 among Black women: Evaluating perspectives and sources of information. Ethn. Health 2021 , 26 , 80–93. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
  • Seelig, M.I.; Millette, D.; Zhou, C.; Huang, J. A new culture of advocacy: An exploratory analysis of social activism on the web and social media. Atl. J. Commun. 2019 , 27 , 15–29. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Chapman, S. Does celebrity involvement in public health campaigns deliver long term benefit? Yes. BMJ 2012 , 345 , e6364. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Veale, H.J.; Sacks-Davis, R.; Weaver, E.R.; Pedrana, A.E.; Stoové, M.A.; Hellard, M.E. The use of social networking platforms for sexual health promotion: Identifying key strategies for successful user engagement. BMC Public Health 2015 , 15 , 85. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Zhang, Y.; Xia, T.; Huang, L.; Yin, M.; Sun, M.; Huang, J.; Ni, Y.; Ni, J. Factors Influencing User Engagement of Health Information Disseminated by Chinese Provincial Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on WeChat: Observational Study. JMIR mHealth uHealth 2019 , 7 , e12245. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Marsh, D.; Hart, P.T.; Tindall, K. Celebrity politics: The politics of the late modernity? Political Stud. Rev. 2010 , 8 , 322–340. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Wheeler, M. Celebrity Politics ; Polity: Cambridge, UK, 2013. [ Google Scholar ]
  • Wu, Z.; Liao, J.; Zhang, L. Predicting on retweeting of hot topic tweets in microblog. In Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Broadband Network & Multimedia Technology, Guilin, China, 17–19 November 2013; pp. 119–123. [ Google Scholar ]
  • Xu, Z.; Yang, Q. Analyzing user retweet behavior on twitter. In Proceedings of the IEEE/ACM International Conference on Advances in Social Networks Analysis and Mining, Istanbul, Türkiye, 26–29 August 2012; pp. 46–50. [ Google Scholar ]
  • Krippendorff, K. Content Analysis: An Introduction to Its Methodology , 4th ed.; SAGE: Los Angeles, CA, USA, 2019. [ Google Scholar ]
  • Neuendorf, K.A. The Content Analysis Guidebook ; SAGE Publications, Inc.: Thousand Oaks, CA, USA, 2017. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Riffe, D.; Lacy, S.; Watson, B.R.; Lovejoy, J. Analyzing Media Messages: Using Quantitative Content Analysis in Research ; Routledge: New York, NY, USA, 2023. [ Google Scholar ]
  • DeVerna, M.R.; Pierri, F.; Truong, B.T.; Bollenbacher, J.; Axelrod, D.; Loynes, N.; Torres-Lugo, C.; Yang, K.-C.; Menczer, F.; Bryden, J. CoVaxxy: A collection of English-language Twitter posts about COVID-19 vaccines. In Proceedings of the AAAI International Conference on Web and Social Media (ICWSM), Buffalo, NY, USA, 3–6 June 2021. [ Google Scholar ]
  • Al-Metwali, B.Z.; Al-Jumaili, A.A.; Al-Alag, Z.A.; Sorofman, B. Exploring the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine among healthcare workers and general population using health belief model. J. Eval. Clin. Pr. 2021 , 27 , 1112–1122. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Chen Li, X.; Gao, J.; Liu, X.; Mao, Y.; Wang, R.; Zheng, P.; Xiao, Q.; Jia, Y.; Fu, H.; Dai, J. Health belief model perspective on the control of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and the promotion of vaccination in China: Web-based cross-sectional study. J. Med. Internet Res. 2021 , 23 , 293–329. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Wong, M.C.S.; Wong, E.L.Y.; Huang, J.; Cheung, A.W.L.; Law, K.; Chong, M.K.C.; Ng, R.W.Y.; Lai, C.K.C.; Boon, S.S.; Lau, J.T.F.; et al. Acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine based on the health belief model: A population-based survey in Hong Kong. Vaccine 2021 , 39 , 1148–1156. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
  • Yu, Y.; Lau, J.T.; She, R.; Chen, X.; Li, L.; Li, L.; Chen, X. Prevalence and associated factors of intention of COVID-19 vaccination among healthcare workers in China: Application of the Health Belief Model. Hum. Vaccines Immunother. 2021 , 17 , 2894–2902. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
  • IBM Corp. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows , version 27.0; Computer Software; IBM Corp.: Armonk, NY, USA, 2020. [ Google Scholar ]
  • Perrin, A.; Anderson, M. Share of U.S. Adults Using Social Media, Including Facebook, Is Mostly Unchanged since 2018 ; Pew Research Center: Washington, DC, USA, 2019. [ Google Scholar ]
  • Cogburn, C.D. Culture, Race, and Health: Implications for Racial Inequities and Population Health. Milbank Q. 2019 , 97 , 736–761. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
  • Quinn, S.C.; Jamison, A.M.; An, J.; Hancock, G.R.; Freimuth, V.S. Measuring vaccine hesitancy, confidence, trust and flu vaccine uptake: Results of a national survey of White and African American adults. Vaccine 2019 , 37 , 1168–1173. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Horton, D.; Richard Wohl, R. Mass communication and para-social interaction: Observations on intimacy at a distance. Psychiatry 1956 , 19 , 215–229. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Quinn, S.; Jamison, A.; Musa, D.; Hilyard, K.; Freimuth, V. Exploring the Continuum of Vaccine Hesitancy Between African American and White Adults: Results of a Qualitative Study. PLoS Curr. 2016 , 8 . [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
  • Viswanath, K. Public Communications and Its Role in Reducing and Eliminating Health Disparities. Examining the Health Disparities Research Plan of the National Institutes of Health: Unfinished Business ; Institute of Medicine: Washington, DC, USA, 2006; pp. 215–253. [ Google Scholar ]
  • Massey, P.M.; Kearney, M.D.; Hauer, M.K.; Selvan, P.; Koku, E.; Leader, A.E. Dimensions of Misinformation About the HPV Vaccine on Instagram: Content and Network Analysis of Social Media Characteristics. J. Med. Internet Res. 2020 , 22 , e21451. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
  • Ciszek, E.; Haven, P.; Logan, N. Amplification and the limits of visibility: Complicating strategies of trans voice and representations on social media. New Media Soc. 2021 , 25 , 1605–1625. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]

Click here to enlarge figure

VariablesSub-ItemsNumber of Presences/RangePercent (%) of Presences/M& SDCohen’s Kappa
Relevance 0.83
MetadataCoding_ID
Tweet_ID
Created_at
Language
Full_text
Word_counts5–55M = 33.27
SD = 12.59
User_ID
User_name
Location
User_description
Number of followers122–80,144,312M = 2,473,188.10
SD = 9,312,872.58
User engagementNumber of likes1836–695,439M = 19,426.58
SD = 45,323.17
Number of retweets34–112,841M = 3778.28
SD = 7886.67
Source characteristics 0.91
1: Organization4111.3
2: Individual32188.7
0.91
0: N/A5816
1: Female11130.7
2: Male19353.3
0.88
0: N/A9526.2
1: White20857.5
2: Black359.7
3: Asian or Pacific Islander246.6
4: American Indian or Alaskan Native00
5: Hispanic00
6: Other10.3
0.80
0: N/A15843.6
1: Health professionals and public health experts4512.4
2: Celebrities (actors, singers, SMIs)154.1
3: Politicians4311.9
4: Media practitioners (writers, journalists, anchors)6618.2
5: Others (artists, scholars, businessmen, lawyers)359.7
0.91
0: N/A31687.3
1: MD359.7
2: PhD113
3: Master’s00
4: Others00
Targeting perceived severityItem1: Death rate is high236.40.89
Item2: COVID-19 can be fatal328.80.85
Item3: COVID-19 has serious after effects 1131
Item4: Lost job00N/A
Item5: Family/friends dying51.41
Item6: Widespread transmission226.10.89
Item7: Social isolation/mental health issues10.3N/A
Item8: Expensive treatment10.3N/A
Targeting perceived susceptibility Item1: Elderly people 10.3N/A
Item2: Disadvantaged groups10.3N/A
Item3: Healthcare workers00N/A
Item4: Pregnant women10.3N/A
Item5: Children41.11
Item6: Unvaccinated people00N/A
Item7: People who do not wear masks10.3N/A
Item8: Homeless00N/A
Item9: People with specific health conditions41.11
Targeting perceived benefits of COVID-19 vaccinationItem1: Reduce the chance of infection6718.50.76
Item2: Decrease the severity and the chance of having complications 267.20.83
Item3: Feel protected from COVID-19 infection20.6N/A
Item4: Restore a normal social life 154.10.80
Item5: Relief from worrying00N/A
Item6: Protect family, friends, and others369.90.79
Item7: Transmission reduction/end the pandemic58160.91
Item8: Save medical resources143.9N/A
Item9: Works for variants102.8N/A
Targeting perceived barriers of COVID-19 vaccinationItem1: Efficacy7821.50.88
Item2: Safety11230.90.74
Item3: Side effects195.20.74
Item4: Getting sick from COVID-19 vaccine10.3N/A
Item5: Inconvenience of getting vaccinated20.6N/A
Item6: Transportation to vaccination site10.3N/A
Item7: Don’t have time to get vaccinated10.3N/A
Item8: Conspiracy theory4612.70.76
Item9: Cannot accept injection10.3N/A
Item10: Lack of knowledge/data174.70.85
Item11: Rushed92.5N/A
Item12: Vaccination passport/mandatory vaccine requirement226.10.79
Item13: Family/friends do not support/social norm30.8N/A
Item14: Misinformation/
disinformation
51.4N/A
Item15: History of medical exploitation (Black people)10.3N/A
Targeting self-efficacyItem1: Getting vaccinated is easy123.3N/A
Item2: Getting vaccinated is free102.81
Item3: Have ability to deal with side effects61.7N/A
ConstructsMinMaxMSD
Severity030.260.69
Susceptivity030.030.22
Benefits040.630.93
Barriers030.880.7
Self-esteem020.080.3
bSEβBack-Transformed βtp
Intercept7.730.11 70.16<0.01 **
Severity0.110.080.081.081.420.16
Benefits−0.040.06−0.040.96−0.640.52
Barriers0.0050.080.0041.000.060.95
Susceptibility−0.810.31−0.140.87−2.590.01 *
Self-efficacy−0.500.20−0.130.88−2.480.014 *
The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.

Share and Cite

Jia, X.; Ahn, S.; Seelig, M.I.; Morgan, S.E. The Role of Health Belief Model Constructs and Content Creator Characteristics in Social Media Engagement: Insights from COVID-19 Vaccine Tweets. Healthcare 2024 , 12 , 1845. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12181845

Jia X, Ahn S, Seelig MI, Morgan SE. The Role of Health Belief Model Constructs and Content Creator Characteristics in Social Media Engagement: Insights from COVID-19 Vaccine Tweets. Healthcare . 2024; 12(18):1845. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12181845

Jia, Xiaofeng, Soyeon Ahn, Michelle I. Seelig, and Susan E. Morgan. 2024. "The Role of Health Belief Model Constructs and Content Creator Characteristics in Social Media Engagement: Insights from COVID-19 Vaccine Tweets" Healthcare 12, no. 18: 1845. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12181845

Article Metrics

Supplementary material.

ZIP-Document (ZIP, 98 KiB)

Further Information

Mdpi initiatives, follow mdpi.

MDPI

Subscribe to receive issue release notifications and newsletters from MDPI journals

Our systems are now restored following recent technical disruption, and we’re working hard to catch up on publishing. We apologise for the inconvenience caused. Find out more: https://www.cambridge.org/universitypress/about-us/news-and-blogs/cambridge-university-press-publishing-update-following-technical-disruption

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings .

Login Alert

health belief model nursing

  • > Cambridge Handbook of Psychology, Health and Medicine
  • > The health belief model

health belief model nursing

Book contents

  • Frontmatter
  • List of contributors
  • Psychology, health and illness
  • Adolescent lifestyle
  • Age and physical functioning
  • Age and cognitive functioning
  • Ageing and health
  • Architecture and health
  • Attributions and health
  • Childhood influences on health
  • Children's perceptions of illness and death
  • Coping with bereavement
  • Coping with chronic illness
  • Coping with chronic pain
  • Coping with death and dying
  • Coping with stressful medical procedures
  • Cultural and ethnic factors in health
  • Delay in seeking help
  • Diet and health
  • Emotional expression and health
  • Expectations and health
  • Gender issues and women's health
  • The health belief model
  • Health-related behaviours: common factors
  • Hospitalization in adults
  • Hospitalization in children
  • Hostility and Type A behaviour in coronary artery disease
  • Lay beliefs about health and illness
  • Life events and health
  • Men's health
  • Noise: effects on health
  • Pain: a multidimensional perspective
  • Perceived control
  • Personality and health
  • Physical activity and health
  • Psychoneuroimmunology
  • Psychosomatics
  • Quality of life
  • Religion and health
  • Risk perception and health behaviour
  • Self-efficacy in health functioning
  • Sexual risk behaviour
  • Sleep and health
  • Social support and health
  • Socioeconomic status and health
  • Stress and health
  • Symptom perception
  • Theory of planned behaviour
  • Transtheoretical model of behaviour change
  • Unemployment and health
  • Brain imaging and function
  • Communication assessment
  • Coping assessment
  • Diagnostic interviews and clinical practice
  • Disability assessment
  • Health cognition assessment
  • Health status assessment
  • Illness cognition assessment
  • Assessment of mood
  • Neuropsychological assessment
  • Neuropsychological assessment of attention and executive functioning
  • Neuropsychological assessment of learning and memory
  • Pain assessment
  • Patient satisfaction assessment
  • Psychoneuroimmunology assessments
  • Qualitative assessment
  • Quality of life assessment
  • Social support assessment
  • Stress assessment
  • Behaviour therapy
  • Biofeedback
  • Cognitive behaviour therapy
  • Community-based interventions
  • Counselling
  • Group therapy
  • Health promotion
  • Motivational interviewing
  • Neuropsychological rehabilitation
  • Pain management
  • Physical activity interventions
  • Psychodynamic psychotherapy
  • Psychosocial care of the elderly
  • Relaxation training
  • Self-management interventions
  • Social support interventions
  • Stress management
  • Worksite interventions
  • Adherence to treatment
  • Attitudes of health professionals
  • Breaking bad news
  • Burnout in health professionals
  • Communicating risk
  • Healthcare professional–patient communication
  • Healthcare work environments
  • Informed consent
  • Interprofessional education in essence
  • Medical decision-making
  • Medical interviewing
  • Patient-centred healthcare
  • Patient safety and iatrogenesis
  • Patient satisfaction
  • Psychological support for healthcare professionals
  • Reassurance
  • Screening in healthcare: general issues
  • Shiftwork and health
  • Stress in health professionals
  • Teaching communication skills
  • Written communication
  • Medical topics

from Psychology, health and illness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 December 2014

Development of the health belief model (HBM)

In the 1950s US public health researchers began developing psychological models designed to enhance the effectiveness of health education programmes (Hochbaum, 1958). Demographic factors such as socio-economic status, gender, ethnicity and age were known to be associated with preventive health behaviours and use of health services (Rosenstock, 1974), but these factors could not be modified through health education. Thus the challenge was to develop effective health education targeting modifiable, individual characteristics that predicted preventive health behaviour and service usage.

Beliefs provided an ideal target because they are enduring individual characteristics which influence behaviour and are potentially modifiable. Beliefs may also reflect different socialization histories arising from demographic differences while, at the same time, differentiating between individuals from the same background. If persuasive methods could be used to change beliefs associated with health behaviours and such interventions resulted in health behaviour change then this would provide a theory-based technology of health education.

An expectancy–value model was developed in which events believed to be more or less likely were seen to be positively or negatively evaluated by the individual. In particular, the likelihood of experiencing a health problem, the severity of the consequences of that problem, the perceived benefits of any particular health behaviour and its potential costs were seen as core beliefs guiding health behaviour (see ‘Expectations and health’).

Rosenstock (1974) attributed the first health belief model (HBM) research to Hochbaum's (1958) studies of the uptake of tuberculosis X-ray screening.

Access options

Save book to kindle.

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle .

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service .

  • By Charles Abraham , University of Sussex, Paschal Sheeran , University of Sheffield
  • Edited by Susan Ayers , University of Sussex , Andrew Baum , University of Pittsburgh , Chris McManus , Stanton Newman , Kenneth Wallston , John Weinman , Robert West
  • Book: Cambridge Handbook of Psychology, Health and Medicine
  • Online publication: 18 December 2014
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511543579.022

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox .

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive .

Health Beliefs/Health Belief Model

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online: 20 October 2020
  • pp 999–1000
  • Cite this reference work entry

health belief model nursing

  • Tana M. Luger 2  

303 Accesses

Rosenstock’s Health Belief Model (HBM) is a theoretical model concerned with health decision-making. The model attempts to explain the conditions under which a person will engage in individual health behaviors such as preventative screenings or seeking treatment for a health condition (Rosenstock 1966 ).

Description

Under the HBM, a person’s likelihood for health behavior is assumed to be related to four main variables. First, action is more likely if the person perceives himself to be susceptible to or at risk for the condition. For example, if Lucy has a history of breast cancer in her family, she may see herself as more susceptible to developing breast cancer, and thus, be more likely to get a mammogram each year. Second, the likelihood for action depends on the perceived seriousness of the condition. Seriousness may be judged based on the amount of emotional arousal produced by thinking about the condition as well as the anticipated physical, social, and psychological...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save.

  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References and Readings

Davidhizar, R. (1983). Critique of the health-belief model. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 8 , 467–472.

Article   CAS   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Janz, N. K., & Becker, M. H. (1984). The health belief model: A decade later. Health Education Quarterly, 11 , 1–47.

Kirscht, J. P. (1988). The health belief model and predictions of health actions. In D. S. Gochman (Ed.), Health behavior: Emerging research perspectives (pp. 27–41). New York: Springer.

Chapter   Google Scholar  

Rosenstock, I. M. (1966). Why people use health services. Milbank Memorial Fund Quarterly, 44 , 94–127.

Article   Google Scholar  

Rosenstock, I. M. (1974). Historical origins of the health belief model. Health Education Monographs, 2 , 328–335.

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA

Tana M. Luger

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tana M. Luger .

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

Behavioral Medicine Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA

Marc D. Gellman

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Cite this entry.

Luger, T.M. (2020). Health Beliefs/Health Belief Model. In: Gellman, M.D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-39903-0_1227

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-39903-0_1227

Published : 20 October 2020

Publisher Name : Springer, Cham

Print ISBN : 978-3-030-39901-6

Online ISBN : 978-3-030-39903-0

eBook Packages : Medicine Reference Module Medicine

Share this entry

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

  • Publish with us

Policies and ethics

  • Find a journal
  • Track your research

U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

  • Publications
  • Account settings
  • My Bibliography
  • Collections
  • Citation manager

Save citation to file

Email citation, add to collections.

  • Create a new collection
  • Add to an existing collection

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search, create a file for external citation management software, your rss feed.

  • Search in PubMed
  • Search in NLM Catalog
  • Add to Search

Revisiting the Health Belief Model: nurses applying it to young families and their health promotion needs

Affiliation.

  • 1 School of Nursing, Family and Community Health, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, Australia. [email protected]
  • PMID: 14764188
  • DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-2018.2003.00167.x

The Health Belief Model (HBM) was reviewed with the aim of modifying it so that it reflected a health promotion stance for young families. Since this model's inception, health professionals like nurses have been involved in using the HBM to guide their practice. It is argued that to assist families, nurses now need a model that is focused on "health." In support of this approach, reorienting the HBM and basing it on "positive" health definitions associated with health promotion, by modifying it through adding the constructs "perceived behavioral control" (representing health locus of control) and "behavioral intention" from Ajzen will provide nurses with a more appropriate and useful model for interacting with families and their preschool children. A summary of positive and negative aspects of the modification of the HBM is presented, followed by a strategy for the process of validating the revised HBM for young families.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

  • Validating the revised Health Belief Model for young families: implications for nurses' health promotion practice. Roden J. Roden J. Nurs Health Sci. 2004 Dec;6(4):247-59. doi: 10.1111/j.1442-2018.2004.00198.x. Nurs Health Sci. 2004. PMID: 15507045
  • Child in hospital: family experiences and expectations of how nurses can promote family health. Hopia H, Tomlinson PS, Paavilainen E, Astedt-Kurki P. Hopia H, et al. J Clin Nurs. 2005 Feb;14(2):212-22. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2004.01041.x. J Clin Nurs. 2005. PMID: 15669930
  • Social support and cardiovascular health promotion in families. Heitman LK. Heitman LK. J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2004 Jan-Feb;19(1):86-91. doi: 10.1097/00005082-200401000-00013. J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2004. PMID: 14994786 Review.
  • Responding to families with complex needs: a national survey of child and family health nurses. Rossiter C, Schmied V, Kemp L, Fowler C, Kruske S, Homer CS. Rossiter C, et al. J Adv Nurs. 2017 Feb;73(2):386-398. doi: 10.1111/jan.13146. Epub 2016 Oct 19. J Adv Nurs. 2017. PMID: 27624334
  • Negotiation of parental roles within family-centred care: a review of the research. Corlett J, Twycross A. Corlett J, et al. J Clin Nurs. 2006 Oct;15(10):1308-16. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2006.01407.x. J Clin Nurs. 2006. PMID: 16968435 Review.
  • Development and acceptability of a gestational diabetes mellitus prevention system ( Better pregnancy ) based on a user-centered approach: A clinical feasibility study. Duan B, Zhou Z, Liu M, Liu Z, Zhang Q, Liu L, Ma C, Gou B, Liu W. Duan B, et al. Digit Health. 2024 Aug 8;10:20552076241266056. doi: 10.1177/20552076241266056. eCollection 2024 Jan-Dec. Digit Health. 2024. PMID: 39130522 Free PMC article.
  • Adoption of a COVID-19 Contact Tracing App by Czech Youth: Cross-Cultural Replication Study. Dolezel M, Smutny Z. Dolezel M, et al. JMIR Hum Factors. 2023 Nov 16;10:e45481. doi: 10.2196/45481. JMIR Hum Factors. 2023. PMID: 37971804 Free PMC article.
  • Pilot and Feasibility Studies of a Lifestyle Modification Program Based on the Health Belief Model to Prevent the Lifestyle-Related Diseases in Patients with Mental Illness. Tsubata N, Kuroki A, Tsujimura H, Takamasu M, IIjima N, Okamoto T. Tsubata N, et al. Healthcare (Basel). 2023 Jun 8;11(12):1690. doi: 10.3390/healthcare11121690. Healthcare (Basel). 2023. PMID: 37372808 Free PMC article.
  • Correlates of cervical cancer screening participation, intention and self-efficacy among Muslim women in southern Ghana. Enyan NIE, Davies AE, Opoku-Danso R, Annor F, Obiri-Yeboah D. Enyan NIE, et al. BMC Womens Health. 2022 Jun 13;22(1):225. doi: 10.1186/s12905-022-01803-0. BMC Womens Health. 2022. PMID: 35698121 Free PMC article.
  • Factors Influencing Protective Behaviors for Dental Radiation Exposure among Female Korean Dental Hygienists Using Health Belief Model. Hwang SY, Park JE, Jang JH. Hwang SY, et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jan 4;19(1):518. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19010518. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022. PMID: 35010778 Free PMC article.

Publication types

  • Search in MeSH

Related information

Linkout - more resources, full text sources.

  • Ovid Technologies, Inc.

full text provider logo

  • Citation Manager

NCBI Literature Resources

MeSH PMC Bookshelf Disclaimer

The PubMed wordmark and PubMed logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited.

IMAGES

  1. Health Belief model including findings showing nurses beliefs about

    health belief model nursing

  2. Health belief model

    health belief model nursing

  3. Nursing Theories/ Health Belief Model/Hochbaum, Rosenstock and Kegels

    health belief model nursing

  4. What Are The Concepts Of The Health Belief Model

    health belief model nursing

  5. The Health Belief Model

    health belief model nursing

  6. Schematic representation of the Health Belief Model [28].

    health belief model nursing

VIDEO

  1. Health Belief Model: Oral Hygiene

  2. 10 1 Health Belief Model

  3. govt model nursing institute, kekri (rajasthan)//new building// college tour// first vlog

  4. 6b Health Belief Model Lesson Plan

  5. Promosi Kesehatan "Health Belief Model"

  6. Reassessing Cervical Cancer Prevention: Insights by Michelle Owusua Appiah-Agyekum

COMMENTS

  1. The Health Belief Model as an Explanatory Framework in Communication Research: Exploring Parallel, Serial, and Moderated Mediation

    The Health Belief Model (HBM) posits that messages will achieve optimal behavior change if they successfully target perceived barriers, benefits, self-efficacy, and threat. While the model seems to be an ideal explanatory framework for communication research, theoretical limitations have limited its use in the field.

  2. Health Belief Model in Nursing: Enhancing Patient Care

    Brief Overview of the Health Belief Model. The Health Belief Model, developed in the 1950s, is a psychological framework that aims to explain and predict health-related behaviors. In nursing, it serves as a guiding principle for understanding patient perspectives and motivations.

  3. Health Belief Model (HBM)

    The Health Belief Model (HBM) is one of the first theories of health behavior. It was developed in the 1950s by a group of U.S. Public Health Service social psychologists who wanted to explain why so few people were participating in programs to prevent and detect disease. HBM is a good model for addressing problem behaviors that evoke health ...

  4. PDF Health Belief Model

    response to diagnosed illnesses, the Health Belief Model (HBM) has been successfully adapted to topics across diverse fields of study. The HBM predicts whether and why people will take action to prevent, detect, or control health conditions. The model applies to behaviors with the potential to reduce risk of developing a disease as well as the

  5. The Health Belief Model

    Learn about the Health Belief Model (HBM), a psychological and behavioral theory that explains how people adopt health behaviors based on their perceptions of personal threat and effectiveness. The HBM has six constructs and some limitations for public health applications.

  6. The Health Belief Model: A Comprehensive Guide for Health ...

    The Health Belief Model in Nursing: A Useful Framework for Patient Care. The Health Belief Model (HBM) is a valuable tool for nurses to guide patient care and improve outcomes. The HBM can be used in nursing education and research to enhance understanding and application of health behaviors.

  7. An Application of the Health Belief Model

    The Health Belief Model (HBM) has been used widely to explain and predict a variety of individual health behaviors associated with health outcomes. It is one of the core models used in health promotion and disease prevention research and interventions, contributing considerably to understanding the determinants of health-related behaviors, such ...

  8. Health Beliefs/Health Belief Model

    Definition. Rosenstock's Health Belief Model (HBM) is a theoretical model concerned with health decision-making. The model attempts to explain the conditions under which a person will engage in individual health behaviors such as preventative screenings or seeking treatment for a health condition (Rosenstock, 1966).

  9. The Health Belief Model

    The health belief model is the basis of or is incorporated into interventions to increase knowledge of health challenges, enhance perceptions of personal risk, encourage actions to reduce or eliminate the risk, and—in its later iteration—build a sense of self-efficacy to undertake the needed changes. While it focuses on the individual, the ...

  10. Health Belief Model

    Social Media and Health Behavior Change. L. Laranjo, in Participatory Health Through Social Media, 2016 6.3.2 Health Belief Model. The Health Belief Model proposes that people are most likely to take preventative action if they perceive the threat of a health risk to be serious, if they feel they are personally susceptible and if there are fewer costs than benefits to engaging in it [14].

  11. Using the health belief model to explore nursing students ...

    D-19. The purpose of this study was to use the health belief model to elucidate nursing students' relationships between knowledge about COVID-19, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action, self-efficacy, and behavioral intention. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted and purposive sampling was utilized. A total of 361 nursing ...

  12. Using the Health Belief Model to Examine Adherence to... : Nursing

    ing in public. Among health belief model constructs, perceived benefits were significantly associated with practicing physical distancing; perceived barriers were associated with lower likelihood. Perceived self-efficacy was associated with a greater likelihood of wearing face masks/covering in public. Nursing students should be provided timely and relevant information on preventive measures ...

  13. Using the Health Belief Model to Explain the Patient's Compliance to

    Health Belief Model (HBM) has been used to explain and predict individuals health behaviours for preventing and/or controlling diseases and their complications by including perception of susceptibility, seriousness, severity, benefits and barriers to a health behaviour and cues to action. 3 The global burden of hypertension projects indicate ...

  14. Using the health belief model to explore nursing students

    3.2. Framework. The framework of this study was constructed to survey the demographic background of nursing students in terms of school system, gender, age, religious beliefs, health status, diet, movement, and reading of COVID-19 information, in relation to COVID-19 knowledge, as well as the relationships between the health beliefs model on perceived susceptibility, perceived severity ...

  15. (PDF) THEORY AT A GLANCE: HEALTH BELIEF MODELS IN ...

    The health belief model was proposed by Godfrey Hochbaum, Irwin Rosenstock and other social psychologists in 1950 (Devi et al., 2022). The model is designed to promote health and serve as a lead ...

  16. Healthcare

    Introduction: The Health Belief Model (HBM) has been widely studied, but it is unclear how social media post creators use HBM constructs to influence the public's awareness of health topics, particularly for COVID-19 preventative health behaviors. Moreover, there is limited knowledge about how content creators enhance user engagement with COVID-19 vaccine tweets.

  17. The health belief model

    The health belief model; Health-related behaviours: common factors; Hospitalization in adults; Hospitalization in children; ... Instrument development for health belief model constructs. Advances in Nursing Science, 6, 73-85.Google Scholar. Champion, V. L. (1994). Strategies to increase mammography utilization.

  18. Testing the Effectiveness of the Health Belief Model in Predicting

    The Health Beliefs Model. The Health Beliefs Model traditionally includes four major types of beliefs: Perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits of preventive actions, and perceived barriers (Rosenstock, 1974a,b).The belief to be able to successfully adopt the behavior, also known as self - efficacy, was added later (Rosenstock et al., 1988), and has been shown to ...

  19. Health Beliefs/Health Belief Model

    Definition. Rosenstock's Health Belief Model (HBM) is a theoretical model concerned with health decision-making. The model attempts to explain the conditions under which a person will engage in individual health behaviors such as preventative screenings or seeking treatment for a health condition (Rosenstock 1966).

  20. Health Belief Model in Nursing: Definition, Theory & Examples

    The Health Belief Model in nursing is a way of encouraging patients to realize their susceptibility to health conditions with the goal of inspiring positive change in their behavior. Learn about ...

  21. The Health Belief Model

    The Health Belief Model is a theoretical model that can be used to guide health promotion and disease prevention programs. It is used to explain and predict individual changes in health behaviors. It is one of the most widely used models for understanding health behaviors. Key elements of the Health Belief Model focus on individual beliefs ...

  22. The health belief model: How public health can address the

    The health belief model: shifting perceptions. The HBM (Fig. 1) provides a framework for understanding how people negotiate and respond to perceived risks to their health. It relies upon an understanding of the relationship between motivation and health behaviours. The overall outcome with the HBM, ideally, is to develop and provide community ...

  23. Revisiting the Health Belief Model: nurses applying it to young

    The Health Belief Model (HBM) was reviewed with the aim of modifying it so that it reflected a health promotion stance for young families. Since this model's inception, health professionals like nurses have been involved in using the HBM to guide their practice. ... 1 School of Nursing, Family and Community Health, University of Western Sydney ...

  24. Models and theories of health behavior and clinical interventions in

    Health belief model (HBM) The HBM first appeared in the 1950s as a guide to research on tuberculosis screening. 3, 4 It distilled concepts from an established body of psychological and behavioral research and set the stage for the theories that followed. HBM is an expectancy-value model. As an example, people take medication to control their ...