Health behaviors in social context

Author(s):  
Shirley A. Hill

Racial disparities in major chronic illnesses are documented in this chapter, along with an exploration of the health behaviors of black people. Focusing on individual responsibility for maintaining health resonates with the neoliberal agenda for curtailing social spending, but often overlooks how structural barriers and inequalities shape health behaviors and outcomes. This chapter looks at the health belief model and the theory of health behaviors to examine factors that facilitate (e.g., religion) or impede (e.g., neighbourhood disadvantage) healthy behaviors among African Americans.

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
pp. e206579
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Pourhaji ◽  
Mohammad Hossein Delshad ◽  
Sedigheh Sadat Tavafian ◽  
Alireza Hidarnia ◽  
Shamsodin Niknami

Aim: The purpose of this examination is determining the predictors of oral health behaviors among Iranian students in district 1 Tehran based on the health belief model with added commitment to plan construct. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 351 four grade female students in the first district of Tehran, Iran in 2017. The multi‑stage random cluster sampling method was used to recruit students. The inclusion criteria were being in four – graded level of elementary schools of the 1st district in Tehran, being female students aged between 9-11 years and being physically and psychologically healthy student. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the variables that predict oral health behaviors. Results: Totally, (N= 31.8%) students  reported that they were brushing less than twice a day and (N=   55.2% ) students claimed  using of dental floss once a week or less than once a day. The results indicated that perceived self-efficacy (OR=1.46, 95% CI=0.57-3.78, P<0.001), commitment to plan (OR=1.13, 95% CI=1.04-1.23, P<0.001) and cues to action (OR=1.42, 95% CI=1.14–1.76, P=0.002) were the significant predicting variables of brushing twice a day, and use of dental floss once a day or more (OR=1.02, 95% CI=0.23-3.53, P=0.003). Conclusion: This study has shown the effectiveness of the health belief model with added commitment to plan construct to predict oral health behavior in female students. Thus, it seems that the model as a acceptable framework for designing training programs to improve oral health behavior in students.


1995 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-197
Author(s):  
Murray G. Millar ◽  
Karen U. Millar

In the present study, we examined whether the Health Belief Model (HBM) variables were appropriate for understanding thought about different types of health behaviors. It was predicted that thought about performing a disease detection behavior would produce more responses referring to susceptibility and severity than thought about health promotion behaviors. Ninety-five participants indicated their spontaneous responses to thought about five disease detection behaviors or five health promotion behaviors. Responses were content analyzed for references to HBM variables. As expected, participants who considered disease detection behaviors made significantly more references to perceived severity and personal susceptibility than participants who considered health promotion behaviors.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malek Abazari ◽  
Davoud Adham ◽  
Abedin Saghafipour ◽  
Zahra Taheri-Kharameh ◽  
Amin Babaei Pouya ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is an acute, feverous disease that is either caused by tick bites or the direct contact of humans with the blood and tissues of infected livestock. The majority of patients suffering from this disease are slaughterhouse workers (including butchers), farmers, veterinarians and hospital staff. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the health behaviors of butchers regarding CCHF and study factors affecting such behaviors based on the health belief model.Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted on 500 butchers in Ardabil Province in 2020 by a multistage sampling method. The participants of the study completed the researcher-made questionnaire of health belief model and health behaviors model relevant to CCHF.The collected data were then analyzed by descriptive statistical tests and linear regression analysis. Results: The mean (SD) age of the participants was 44.4 (10.5), and 96% were males. Only xxx% of the participants displayed acceptable disease-preventive behaviors. The validity and reliability of the developed questionnaire were confirmed by the Cronbach-alpha index. The results of the exploratory factor analysis showed that the constructs of the model explained 84% of the total variance. The results of the study revealed that among the variables of the health belief model, perceived susceptibility (p-value = 0.006, β = 0.152) and perceived barriers (p-value = 0.05, β = 0.14) were the strongest factors predicting disease-preventive behaviors regarding CCHF.Conclusion: The results of the study showed that the health belief model can predict preventive behaviors for CCHF.Therefore, designing and executing interventions based on the results of this study may encourage such preventive behaviors in butchers.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aziz Kamran ◽  
Khatereh Isazadehfar ◽  
Akbar Pirzadeh ◽  
Ramin Nasimi Doost Azgomi ◽  
Heshmatolah Heydari

Abstract Background: COVID-19, now a global pandemic, is a new, highly contagious, and preventable disease that has caused many deaths across the world. The correct understanding of the risks and following health instructions are among the most important self-care parameters. This study was aimed to assess people’s perceived risks and their adherence to recommended preventive behaviors regarding the COVID-19 infection.Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 1861 people residing in Ardabil province in 2020. The data collected electronically by instrument which consisted from four parts: demographic specifications, the Health Belief Model (HBM) constructs (perceived sensitivity, perceived severity, and perceived benefits), beliefs on the effectiveness of disease prevention strategies, and complying with health behaviors. The data was analyzed using SPSS-21 software.Results: Significant differences were found in the mean scores of the beliefs on the effectiveness of preventive recommendations, the constructs of the health belief model, and compliance to preventive behaviors considering the participants’ gender, age, marital status, and the level of education. The beliefs and intention to stay at home, collectively predicted 54.7% of the variance of preventive behaviors.Conclusion: Although a the majority of participants had positive attitude toward the effectiveness of preventive measures and adhered to them, some people who were not adherent to healthy behaviors could be key participants to the next waves of the disease.


2021 ◽  
pp. 216507992110169
Author(s):  
Athena K. Ramos ◽  
Marcela Carvajal-Suarez ◽  
Natalia Trinidad ◽  
Sophia A. Quintero ◽  
Diana Molina ◽  
...  

Background: Meatpacking is dirty, dangerous, and demanding work. In the United States, the industry predominately employs people from racial/ethnic minority backgrounds and immigrants, with 45% of the workforce identifying as Hispanic/Latino. Little is known about how the work environment affects worker engagement in health-promoting activities; however, occupational health professionals are uniquely positioned to advance worker health, safety, and general well-being. Methods: Hispanic/Latino meatpacking workers with work-related musculoskeletal pain and active health concerns were recruited to participate in a study to explore health, health behaviors, and the work environment. Five focus groups ( N = 28) were conducted in Nebraska between March 2019 and February 2020. Thematic analysis using the Health Belief Model constructs was used to explain workers’ health behaviors including utilization of occupational health services at their workplace. Findings: Workers believed that there was little they could do to prevent and treat health problems. They understood the perceived threat of health problems and the benefits of self-care, but the perceived barriers often outweighed the benefits. The workplace had few prompts to motivate or incentivize self-care both in and outside of work. In addition, workers did not trust the occupational health office and saw few benefits to accessing services. Together, these conditions resulted in low self-efficacy and limited engagement in health-promoting behaviors. Conclusion/Application to practice: Occupational health professionals should promote Total Worker Health and foster trust by providing culturally, linguistically, and literacy appropriate services and by identifying opportunities and reducing barriers for workers to engage in activities to promote their health, safety, and well-being.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malek Abazari ◽  
Davoud Adham ◽  
Abedin Saghafipour ◽  
Zahra Taheri-Kharameh ◽  
Abbas Abbasi-Ghahramanloo ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is an acute, feverous disease that is caused by tick bites or humans’ direct contact with the blood and tissues of infected livestock and humans. The transmission of the disease is also possible via human-to-human contacts and nosocomial transmission is well described. The majority of patients suffering from this disease are slaughterhouse workers (including butchers), farmers, veterinarians and hospital staff. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the health behaviors of butchers regarding CCHF and study factors affecting such behaviors based on the health belief model.Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted on 500 butchers in Ardabil Province in 2020 by a multistage sampling method. The participants of the study completed the researcher-made questionnaire of health belief model and health behaviors model relevant to CCHF. The collected data were then analyzed by descriptive statistical tests and linear regression analysis. Results: The mean (SD) age of the participants was 44.4 (10.5) years, and 96% were males. Only 11.1% of the participants displayed acceptable disease-preventive behaviors. The validity and reliability of the developed questionnaire were confirmed. The results of the exploratory factor analysis showed that the constructs of the model explained 84% of the total variance. The results of the study revealed that among the variables of the health belief model, perceived susceptibility (p-value = 0.006, β = 0.152) and perceived barriers (p-value = 0.023, β = 0.14) were the strongest factors predicting disease-preventive behaviors regarding CCHF.Conclusion: The results of the study showed that the health belief model can predict preventive behaviors for CCHF. Therefore, designing and executing interventions based on the results of this study may encourage such preventive behaviors in butchers.


Author(s):  
Mohammad Hossein Delshad ◽  
Fatemeh Pourhaji ◽  
Alireza Hidarnia ◽  
Sedigheh Sadat Tavafian ◽  
Shamsodin Niknami

Aim: The purpose of this examination is determining predictors to oral health behaviors predict in Iranian students in district 1 Tehran based on the health belief model with added commitment to plan construct. Methods: This cross-sectional study were randomly selected conducted on 351 eligible four grade female students in the first district of Tehran, Iran in 2017. The random Multi‑stage random cluster sampling method was used to recruit students. The inclusion criteria were being graded, four female students (aged 9-11 years), or education at the fourth grade of one of the elementary schools studied in the first district of Tehran and, The health of the student from a physical and psychological of view. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the variables that predict oral health behaviors. To assess the predictors of oral health behaviors, all the expanded Health Belief Model constructs with the construct of &ldquo;Commitment to Plan of Action&rdquo; from &ldquo;Health Promotion Model were examined as risk factors to see if they influence on the probability of brushing behavior and dental floss behavior occurrence and were interpreted through odds ratio (OR). SPSS version 19 was used to analyze the data. Results: Totally 308 four grade female students with mean age of 9.32 &plusmn; 0.81 years old took part in the study. The total 31.8% of the students reported that they were brushing behavior less than twice a day and 55.2% students claimed, use of dental floss behavior once a week or less than once a day. The results indicated that perceived self-efficacy (OR=1.46, 95% CI=0.57-3.78, P&lt;0.001), Commitment to plan (OR=1.13, 95% CI=1.04-1.23, P&lt;0.001) and Cues to action (OR=1.42, 95% CI=1.14&ndash;1.76, P=0.002) were the significant predicting variables which is the key factor of brushing twice a day, and use of dental floss once a day or more (OR=1.02, 95% CI=0.23-3.53, P=0.003). Conclusion: This study has shown the effectiveness of the health belief model with added commitment to plan construct to predict oral health behavior in female students. So, it seems that the model as a framework for designing training programs to improve students to improve oral health behavior can be used.


2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (7-8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Rahmati-Najarkolaei ◽  
Parvin Rahnama ◽  
Mohammad Gholami Fesharaki ◽  
Hamid Yahaghi ◽  
Maryam Yaghoubi

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