Unit 4-1 Response Behavior
Becky
The Health Belief Model (HBM) is structured around the idea that people’s perception of an illness or disease will alter the health decisions that they make. This perception is supported by several constructs, including perceived seriousness. This point of view can be based on facts, but it also can be swayed by other factors such as culture. Previous experiences can also impact how seriously the disease is taken. Perceived susceptibility is defined as how much a person believes that they are at risk for disease development. The benefits stemming from a behavior change can influence personal perception, as can the obstacles to change. The perceived benefits from any health decision will need to be greater than the perceived barriers in order for an individual to obtain the most successful outcome (Hayden, 2019).
My level of physical activity has evolved over the years to meet the demands of caring for a young child who has no independent muscle control. This means I am responsible for transferring, bathing, and all activities of daily living for a 50-pound child. The most serious threat to my health would be sustaining an injury that would not allow me to meet his needs. A threat of an injury that would prevent him from getting optimal care is something I take very seriously and is a profound reason why I challenge myself to elevate my exercise levels. As the primary caregiver, I am the most susceptible to such an injury. The benefits from increasing my physical activity are safer transfers for my son, as well as better mental health stemming from stress relief of cardiovascular workouts. My biggest obstacle is carving out adequate time to exercise. However, the benefits far outweigh the barriers for not only myself but also for my son’s wellbeing.
Reference
- Hayden, J. (2019). Introduction to health behavior theory. (3rd ed.). Jones and Bartlett Learning.
Sample Answer
Hello, Becky. After reading your discussion, I concur with you in every aspect. However, it is evident that a lot is at stake when we talk about the Health Belief Model. HBM tackles issues to do with individual personal threats of illnesses and diseases. Additionally, it ensures that personal belief is looked into, as well as the recommendation of health behavior brought forward to look into action that predicts the likelihood of an individual adapting to new behavior (Hayden, 2019). These behaviors ensure that an individual gathers enough information to venture into different interventions to boost personal health and eliminate the likelihood of adverse impact health-wise. Analyzing HBM, it is evident that some of the key factors that influence health behaviors have been looked into, and in the end, better interventions are taken into consideration to eliminate cases of perceived severity. Therefore, we can agree that with HBM, the core business is to ensure better health outcomes and act on the perceived barriers to action.
Additionally, the effectiveness of HBM cannot be overruled as it has enhanced development in behavior change that has been on the rise gradually for more than 40 years. In terms of eligibility, more than 78% of the reports have depicted some level of improvement and thus a better approach to managing health. In your discussion, you have stated that your level of physical activity has increased over time due to child care (Abraham & Sheeran, 2015). I agree with you that some of these factors come in handy with the changes in responsibilities and as we grow old. Therefore, it is to state that different individuals have a role to play when it comes to the personal role and the ability to support society. Societal needs are wide, for instance, child care and elderly care, among others, and thus our level of physical activity boosts so much when it comes to health and physical fitness in the future.
References
- Abraham, C., & Sheeran, P. (2015). The health belief model. Predicting health behaviour: Research and practice with social cognition models, 2, 30-55.
- Hayden, J. (2019). Introduction to health behavior theory. (3rd ed.). Jones and Bartlett Learning.
