The Health Belief Model

The health belief model became one of the most widely recognized conceptual frameworks of health behavior, focusing on behavioral change at the individual level. The model suggests that decision-makers make a mental calculus about whether the benefits of a promoted behavior change outweigh its practical and psychological costs or obstacles. That is, individuals conduct an internal assessment of the net benefits of changing their behavior, and decide whether or not to act. The model identifies four aspects of this assessment: perceived susceptibility to ill-health (risk perception), perceived severity of ill-health, perceived benefits of behavior change, and perceived barriers to taking action. The concept of self-efficacy, or the perceived ability to actually take a recommended action, was later recognized as an important component or factor. Keywords: health; health communication; health management