Health Belief Model

In social psychology, the health belief model is a psychological framework used to explain and predict behaviors, attitudes and beliefs that can be detrimental to a person's health. It was developed in the 1950s by social psychologists working at the United States Public Health Service, and it examines how a person's perceived susceptibility to illness, the perceived severity of a health condition, the perceived benefits of preventive care, and perceived barriers to healthcare together shape health-related behavior. The model is widely used in health behavior research and in public health interventions aimed at understanding and promoting health-protective behavior, and it also draws on concepts such as self-efficacy and cues to action, stimuli like a health campaign or a doctor's advice that can prompt behavior change.