The hereby document seeks to critically evaluate the Health Belief Model to explain health behaviours and its motivational factors. The appraisal of this model will be done by comparison with elements of other social cognitive and stage …show more content…
As a social cognition model of health behaviours, this theory observes how well numerous factors linked to health beliefs could potentially predict intentions to alter health behaviours. In addition, the model is used in practice for predicting health behaviours (Rosenstock,1966). Nowadays the HBM is the most broadly used conceptual framework in health psychology (Carpenter, 2010). Keenness to attain precautionary health care in the HBM is formed by originally four core beliefs. Although, in later times, Rosentock and colleagues (1988) included self-efficacy as a core factor to further develop the explanation of individual differences in changes among health behaviours, making the five core beliefs a foundation for the HBM. Aside the self-efficacy element, the other four personal beliefs within the model may shape health behaviours through the perception of susceptibility and severity to disease as well as perception of benefits and costs of action. These beliefs account for cognitive influences on health behaviours. Perception of susceptibility to diseases refers to the subjective appraisal of the risk of developing ill health (Rosenstock, 1974). The severity belief covers the personal evaluation of the intensity of a health problem and its costs (Glanz, Barbara & Rimer, 2008). The benefits and cost to action include the