Theories of Health & Illness Behaviour

1. Theories of Health & Illness Behaviour • Health Psychologists wish to understand health behaviours • Health Psychologists use general psychological models and theories which explain any behaviour • Why do we study health theories?

2. Cues to action Personal Susceptibility Perceivedthreat Seriousness of threat Likelihood of behaviour Benefits of outcome Cost-benefit analysis Costs of Action Rosenstock: The Health Belief Model

3. Cues to action Personal Susceptibility Perceivedthreat Seriousness Of threat Likelihood of behaviour Benefits of outcome Cost-benefit analysis Costs of Action Rosenstock: Health Belief Model Perceived threat is determined by: • Personal Susceptibility – how vulnerable you feel • Seriousness of threat – beliefs concerning how serious the negative outcomes of the behaviour would be • Cue to action – external & internal factors which start you thinking about the health behaviour

4. Cues to action Personal Susceptibility Perceivedthreat Seriousness Of threat Likelihood of behaviour Benefits of outcome Cost-benefit analysis Costs of Action Rosenstock: Health Belief Model Cost-benefit analysis takes into account the balance between: • Benefit of outcome – the expected advantages of the behaviour • Costs of action – the perceived barriers and disadvantages of the behaviour

5. Cues to action Personal Susceptibility Perceivedthreat Seriousness Of threat Likelihood of behaviour Benefits of outcome Cost-benefit analysis Costs of Action Rosenstock: Health Belief Model Likelihood of Behaviour: The LIKELIHOOD of a person engaging in a behaviour is the combination of these two thought processes – the perceived threat verses the cost-benefit analysis.