Word count: 1,559
Learning outcome:
Examine models and theories of health promotion.
It is important to put health into practice with health promotion strategies. There are
also models that help identify the problem and understand what factors contribute to the
decisions to have better health by quitting smoking or eating healthier. Some people decide to
quit but are unable to and others quit but then come back to their habits. Models help identify
what causes the people to come back to their habit and whether that can be prevented. The two
most important models of decision making and approaches to health promotion are the health
belief model (HBM) and the stages of change model.
The health belief model (HBM) was developed by Rosenstock (1974) and is one of the
first health promotion models that were published. It explains whether the person is going to
engage in a healthier lifestyle based on whether and to what extent they perceive their problem
as a threat to them and how severe it is. There are also other factors which tend to go in order
and result in the likelihood of action being taken to prevent illness. It begins with cues to action
which can be internal cues such as pain or external factors such as a health campaign. Another
factor that contributes to the beliefs of the patient are the individual differences which can be
demographics, personality, pressure, and structural variables (such as family history of the
illness). The next step is perceived vulnerability and perceived severity which is what the patient
thinks of the situation and how likely they are to get the specific illness based on their cues to
action and individual differences. The next are the beliefs regarding the preventative action
which are the perceived benefits and barriers. This is also known as the cost-benefit analysis in
which the person evaluated the benefits (better health) and the inconveniences (treatment is
too expensive) of action being taken. This thought process leads to the likelihood of action being
taken to prevent the illness. Cues to action and the individual differences is what makes people
realise that they might have a problem in the future such as because of their lifestyle or family
history of the illness. Vulnerability and severity is how the person evaluates the situation based
Learning outcome:
Examine models and theories of health promotion.
It is important to put health into practice with health promotion strategies. There are
also models that help identify the problem and understand what factors contribute to the
decisions to have better health by quitting smoking or eating healthier. Some people decide to
quit but are unable to and others quit but then come back to their habits. Models help identify
what causes the people to come back to their habit and whether that can be prevented. The two
most important models of decision making and approaches to health promotion are the health
belief model (HBM) and the stages of change model.
The health belief model (HBM) was developed by Rosenstock (1974) and is one of the
first health promotion models that were published. It explains whether the person is going to
engage in a healthier lifestyle based on whether and to what extent they perceive their problem
as a threat to them and how severe it is. There are also other factors which tend to go in order
and result in the likelihood of action being taken to prevent illness. It begins with cues to action
which can be internal cues such as pain or external factors such as a health campaign. Another
factor that contributes to the beliefs of the patient are the individual differences which can be
demographics, personality, pressure, and structural variables (such as family history of the
illness). The next step is perceived vulnerability and perceived severity which is what the patient
thinks of the situation and how likely they are to get the specific illness based on their cues to
action and individual differences. The next are the beliefs regarding the preventative action
which are the perceived benefits and barriers. This is also known as the cost-benefit analysis in
which the person evaluated the benefits (better health) and the inconveniences (treatment is
too expensive) of action being taken. This thought process leads to the likelihood of action being
taken to prevent the illness. Cues to action and the individual differences is what makes people
realise that they might have a problem in the future such as because of their lifestyle or family
history of the illness. Vulnerability and severity is how the person evaluates the situation based
