Health psychology has been gaining more and more strength in recent years. Matarazzo (1980) was one of its promoters, defining what a health behavior was. On this occasion We will learn about Becker and Maiman’s Health Belief Model.
This model includes an important cognitive/perceptual component in the evaluation of the possibility of becoming ill. But what depends on whether we adopt healthy lifestyle habits or behaviors? Let’s get to know it in this article.
A health behavior is, according to Kasl and Cobb, that behavior aimed at preventing a disease. According to Matarazzo, such behaviors decrease behavioral pathogens and increase behavioral immunogens. The variables that influence the adoption of health behaviors are: the social context, the perception of the symptom, emotional states and beliefs about health.
Health Belief Model: characteristics
The Health Belief Model was proposed by Becker and Maiman in 1974. These authors formulated the model, although around the 1950s a group of specialists in social psychology in North America had already developed the first hypotheses, seeking an explanation for the lack of of public participation in early detection and disease prevention programs.
The model states that a person’s willingness to adopt a health behavior will be determined by two factors: the perception of susceptibility to illness and the perceived severity of the consequence of the illness.
Components
The Health Belief Model is made up of three groups of elements or components. Let’s see what they are.
These, in turn, are made up of two elements already mentioned: the susceptibility to illness (or the risk of illness) and the perceived severity in relation to the consequences of said illness. These perceptions directly influence the threat perceived by the subject himself.
In relation to the perception of susceptibility or risks, studies with adolescents have concluded that certain people who carry out behaviors that favor the transmission of HIV, such as unprotected intercourse, (risk actions) are not perceived as being at greater risk of contracting AIDS than others. who do not carry out such actions. This is quite alarming.
On the other hand, and also in relation to HIV/AIDS, some studies have shown that the belief that modern technology will soon be able to find a cure for HIV/AIDS has a direct correlation with the practice of antisocial behaviors. risk, also alarming data.
Thus, we see how the perception of risk to which one is exposed or has been exposed can be a conditioning factor for behavior. This perception may be related to the idea that one has of their partner and what fidelity means, and will be influenced by age, sexual tendency, self-image, cultural and intellectual factors, etc.
All these elements can be identified and appropriately addressed in psychoeducational interventions.
2. Modifying factors
These factors They are made up of two types of variables: demographic and psychosocial variables (for example, place where you live, age, sex, etc.), and the beliefs that are key to action (for example, preventive campaigns, advice, etc.)
Like individual perceptions, modifying factors influence the subject’s perceived threat of becoming ill.
3. Probability of action
The probability of action (that is, the probability of acting, of adopting a health behavior to prevent the disease) depends on the benefits and costs or barrier involved in exercising such behavior or not.
In this way, in addition to perceiving a threat to their health and the severity of the consequences, the person must also believe that you are capable of producing certain changes or modifications in your behavior and that such initiative/s will produce greater benefits than inconveniences or harms (derived from the effort to be made to achieve them).
Model Premises
As a summary, we can group the three basic premises of the Health Belief Model:
Example
Let’s think about an example: the case of tobacco addiction. To adopt a health behavior, we must first perceive that we are susceptible to getting sick (for example when we cough a lot when taking a drag on a cigarette) and we must also perceive the severity of the consequences if we get sick (for example, dying from having cancer). lung).
Thus, the health behavior would be to stop smoking, and the more powerful the perceptions (of susceptibility and severity) we have, the more likely we will be to adopt the healthy behavior.
Health motivation
Becker and Maiman later added a new factor to the Health Belief Model: health motivation, which is directly related to motivation theories.
Model applications
The Health Belief Model has been used as a psychoeducational tool in the population in preventive interventions against HIV/AIDS and other pathologies.
