What does the Health Belief Model focus on?

The Health Belief Model emphasizes the individual beliefs and attitudes regarding health, which plays a crucial role in understanding health behaviors. This model explains that a person's willingness to engage in health-promoting behavior depends on their perceptions of their susceptibility to a health issue, the seriousness of that health issue, the benefits of taking a preventive action, and the perceived barriers to taking that action. It is used to predict how likely someone is to take preventative actions or seek treatment based on their personal beliefs and feelings about health risks.

This focus on individual cognition helps health professionals understand what motivates people and can inform strategies to encourage healthier behaviors. By understanding these individual beliefs and attitudes, interventions can be tailored to effectively motivate individuals, leading to better health outcomes.