Describe a health promotion model used to initiate behavioral changes. How does this model help in teaching behavioral changes? What are some of the barriers that affect a patient’s ability to learn? How does a patient’s readiness to learn, or readiness to change, affect learning outcomes? Due date: Thursday 9 Read “Patient-Education Tips for New Nurses,” by Smith and Zsohar, from (2013). URL: Read “Patient Education in Home Care: Strategies for Success,” by Ashton and Oermann, from (2014). URL:
A health promotion model that is commonly used to initiate behavioral changes is the Health Belief Model (HBM). The HBM is a psychological model that focuses on individual beliefs and perceptions about health-related issues and influences their decision-making process. It was originally developed in the 1950s by social psychologists to explain the uptake of preventive health behaviors, such as getting vaccinated or practicing safe sex.
The HBM consists of several key components that help in teaching behavioral changes. These components include perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy. Perceived susceptibility refers to an individual’s belief about how likely they are to develop a certain health condition or problem. Perceived severity refers to an individual’s belief about the seriousness of the health condition or problem. Perceived benefits refer to the individual’s belief about the positive outcomes of taking a particular health action, while perceived barriers refer to the perceived obstacles or costs associated with taking the health action.
Cues to action are external influences or prompts that motivate individuals to take action towards improving their health. Self-efficacy refers to an individual’s confidence in their ability to successfully perform the desired behavior.
The HBM helps in teaching behavioral changes by using these components to assess an individual’s beliefs and perceptions about a particular health issue, and then tailoring educational interventions accordingly. For example, if an individual perceives themselves as susceptible to a health condition but does not perceive the severity of the condition, the educational intervention can focus on providing information about the potential consequences of the condition to increase their awareness.
Similarly, if an individual perceives certain barriers to taking a health action, the educational intervention can address these barriers and provide strategies to overcome them. By addressing these specific beliefs and perceptions, the HBM helps in increasing an individual’s motivation and self-efficacy to adopt healthy behaviors.
However, there are several barriers that can affect a patient’s ability to learn and apply the behavioral changes taught through the HBM. These barriers include cognitive factors, such as limited health literacy or lack of understanding of the educational materials. Patients may also face logistical barriers, such as lack of transportation or financial constraints, which can hinder their ability to access the necessary resources for behavior change.
Emotional barriers, such as fear or denial of the health issue, can also play a role in impeding learning and behavior change. Additionally, social and cultural factors, such as societal norms or peer influence, can influence a patient’s receptiveness to behavior change interventions.
A patient’s readiness to learn, or readiness to change, can significantly affect learning outcomes. Readiness to learn refers to an individual’s willingness and motivation to engage in the learning process and make behavioral changes. If a patient is not ready to learn or change their behavior, they may not be receptive to educational interventions or may not fully engage with the materials provided.
On the other hand, if a patient is highly motivated and ready to learn, they are more likely to actively participate in the educational process and apply the knowledge gained. Therefore, a patient’s readiness to learn plays a crucial role in determining the effectiveness of educational interventions in promoting behavior change.
In conclusion, the Health Belief Model is a commonly used health promotion model that focuses on individual beliefs and perceptions about health-related issues. It helps in teaching behavioral changes by assessing and addressing an individual’s specific beliefs and barriers to behavior change. However, several barriers can affect a patient’s ability to learn, such as cognitive, logistical, emotional, and social factors. Additionally, a patient’s readiness to learn, or readiness to change, significantly affects learning outcomes.