Introduction
Health is a vital factor that affects all aspects of human life. Diseases have significant adverse effects on individuals, families, and society. Therefore, health promotion and disease prevention initiatives are crucial in ensuring the well-being of both the community and society. The Health Belief Model (HBM) and Values Clarification are two tools that healthcare professionals can utilize in health promotion and disease prevention programs to help individuals and families make informed decisions about their well-being.
Concepts of the Health Belief Model (HBM)
Perceived Susceptibility
The Health Belief Model (HBM) is a psychological model that describes how people’s beliefs and perceptions about health and illness influence their health-related behaviors and decisions. According to Shitu et al. (2022), the model comprises six key components and can be used to understand and predict health behaviors. The first component is perceived susceptibility, referring to an individual’s belief about their vulnerability to a particular health condition or illness. For example, if an individual believes they are at high risk of developing lung cancer due to smoking, they may be more likely to consider quitting smoking to reduce their risk.
Perceived Severity
The second component is perceived severity, which refers to an individual’s perception of the seriousness of a health condition or illness. For instance, if someone believes skin cancer is a severe illness that can lead to death, they may be more likely to take precautions such as sunscreen when going outside.
Perceived Benefits
The third element is the perceived benefits, which refers to a person’s belief about the effectiveness of a particular behavior or action in preventing or reducing the risk of a health condition or illness (Afrasiabi et al., 2022). For instance, a person might think that getting a flu shot can reduce their risk of contracting the flu.
Perceived Barriers
The fourth element is the perceived barriers, referring to an individual’s belief about the potential obstacles or challenges that may prevent them from taking a particular health-related action or behavior. For example, an individual may believe that getting a mammogram is uncomfortable or embarrassing, preventing them from getting the recommended screening.
Cues to Action
The fifth component concerns cues to action, the external factors that may influence an individual to take a particular health-related action, such as reminders, media campaigns, or advice from healthcare professionals (Shitu et al., 2022). For example, a healthcare professional may recommend that an individual undergo a colonoscopy screening, which can serve as a cue to take action.
Self-Efficacy
The last component is self-efficacy, an individual’s belief in their ability to perform a particular health-related behavior or action successfully. For example, individuals may believe they can successfully quit smoking if they have the necessary resources and support.
Model Application
In healthcare, the HBM can be utilized to understand and predict patients’ health behaviors, as well as to design interventions that promote behavior change. For example, suppose a patient is at risk for developing diabetes due to their family history and lifestyle factors. In such cases, a healthcare professional can utilize the HBM to comprehend the patient’s perceptions regarding their risk, the severity of the condition, and the advantages of behavioral change (Afrasiabi et al., 2022). The healthcare professional can then inform the patient about the benefits of a healthy diet and regular exercise, address any perceived barriers to behavior change, and provide cues to action, such as a referral to a nutritionist or a physical therapist. Healthcare providers can utilize the HBM to design interventions tailored to patients’ beliefs and perceptions, promoting behavior change and enhancing patients’ health outcomes.
Process of Values Clarification
Identification/Choosing
Values Clarification is a process through which individuals or families explore, identify, and clarify their core values and beliefs. The value clarification process involves five steps: self-reflection, identification of values, prioritization, conflict identification, and decision-making (Selva & Neuhaus, 2023). The first step in values clarification is for the individual to engage in self-reflection. This phase involves taking the time to reflect on what is most important to them and their core values and beliefs. Individuals should then identify their values and the guiding principles they believe are most important in life, such as family, faith, honesty, or personal growth.
Prizing/Affirming
Once individuals have identified their values, they should prioritize them in order of importance. This step involves considering which values are most central to their identity and which ones they are most committed to upholding (Damman et al., 2020). It is common for individuals to hold conflicting values or beliefs, which can create internal conflicts. Identifying these conflicts can help individuals clarify their priorities and make more informed decisions.
Acting/Consistent Behavior
The final step in the values clarification process is to use this information to make decisions aligned with the individual’s values and goals. The stage may involve considering and evaluating different options based on how well they align with the individual’s values.
Application of Values Clarification
Values clarification aims at helping people understand what is most important to them and use this information to make decisions aligned with their values and goals. The process involves a series of questions and exercises designed to help individuals reflect on their values and beliefs, identify any conflicts or inconsistencies, and prioritize what is most important to them (Selva & Neuhaus, 2023). This process can be done individually or in a group setting with the help of a trained facilitator.
Values clarification interviews can be beneficial for healthcare professionals and social workers when working with individuals or families who face complex healthcare decisions or difficult life choices (Damman et al., 2020). Some types of interviews that can be used as tools for values clarification include structured and unstructured interviews, family meetings, and Motivational interviewing.
Application of HBM and Values Clarification as Interviewing Tools
The Health Belief Model (HBM) and values clarification can be used as complementary tools to better understand individuals’ or families’ health beliefs, values, and behaviors. Interviewers can use the two approaches, starting with values clarification, where they engage individuals or families to explore their values and beliefs (Selva & Neuhaus, 2023). This process can help the interviewer gain insight into what is most important to the individual or family and how this may influence their health behaviors. Interviewers can then use HBM once they identify individuals’ or families’ values and beliefs to evaluate how these factors influence their health-related attitudes and behaviors (Afrasiabi et al., 2022). For example, the interviewer can ask questions about the individual’s perceived susceptibility to a particular health issue, the perceived severity of the problem, and their perceived benefits and barriers to addressing it.
As the process progresses, interviewers can help families or individuals identify conflicts or inconsistencies between their values and health-related attitudes and behaviors. This approach can help individuals clarify their priorities and identify areas where they may need to make adjustments to better align their behavior with their values. Similarly, the values clarification and HBM tool can be instrumental in helping individuals or families develop behavioral change plans aligned with their values and beliefs (Afrasiabi et al., 2022). Interviewers can work collaboratively with individuals or families to identify strategies for overcoming barriers to behavior change and setting realistic goals that are achievable within the context of their values and priorities. Therefore, integrating values clarification and HBM helps to gain a more comprehensive understanding of individuals or families, providing tailored support and guidance based on their unique needs and circumstances.
Statements and Questions for Values Clarification
The following are statements and questions that can be used to help individuals or families engage in Values Clarification
- Self-reflection statements/questions:
- Take some time to reflect on what is most important to you in life.
- What values and beliefs do you hold that are most important to you?
- How do these values and beliefs influence the decisions you make in your life?
- Identifying values statements/questions:
- What values are most important to you in life? Why?
- What values do you think are most important in shaping your personality?
- Prioritizing values statements/questions:
- How do you prioritize your values in your life?
- What values do you feel are most important to uphold, even when it is difficult?
- Identifying conflict statements/questions:
- Have you ever had a conflict between two of your values? Can you describe the situation?
- Are there any values that you hold that may conflict with each other? How do you manage those conflicts?
- How do you deal with situations when your values and beliefs do not align with those around you?
- Decision-making statements/questions:
- When making decisions, how do you ensure they align with your values?
- How do your values influence your decision-making process?
Conclusion
In conclusion, both the Health Belief Model (HBM) and Values Clarification serve as valuable frameworks for healthcare professionals in promoting health and preventing disease. The HBM helps explain how individuals’ beliefs and perceptions about health influence their choices and behaviors. At the same time, Values Clarification guides people in identifying what matters most to them, enabling them to make decisions that align with their personal values and goals.
References
Afrasiabi, F., Behesht aeen, F., & Kargar jahromi, M. (2022). Applying the health belief model in identifying individual understanding towards prevention of type 2 diabetes. International Journal of Public Health Science (IJPHS), 11(4), 1267–1272. Web.
Damman, O. C., Jani, A., Jong, B. A., Becker, A., Metz, M. J., Bruijne, M. C., Timmermans, D. R., Cornel, M. C., Ubbink, D. T., Steen, M., Gray, M., & El, C. (2020). The use of Proms and shared decision‐making in medical encounters with patients: An opportunity to deliver value‐based health care to patients. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 26(2), 524–540. Web.
Selva, J., & Neuhaus, M. (2023). Values clarification in CBT and beyond: 18+ examples & tools. PositivePsychology.com. Web.
Shitu, K., Adugna, A., Kassie, A., & Handebo, S. (2022). Application of health belief model for the assessment of covid-19 preventive behavior and its determinants among students: A structural equation modeling analysis. PLOS ONE, 17(3), 1–17. Web.