In the Health Belief Model, engagement in a health behavior is determined by:

• A. Belief in the threat of illness plus belief in the effectiveness of the proposed behavior
• B. Belief in the threat only
• C. Belief in the effectiveness only
• D. Belief in the cost of the action

Answer: (A)

Engagement in a health behavior, in the Health Belief Model, is driven by how threatened a person feels by a potential illness and how strongly they believe the recommended action will effectively reduce that threat. When someone perceives both susceptibility to a illness and the seriousness of its impact, and they also believe that the proposed action will work to lessen that risk, they’re more likely to adopt the behavior. If either component is missing—low perceived threat or doubt about the action’s effectiveness—the likelihood of taking action decreases. Costs or barriers can influence the decision, but the combination of perceived threat and perceived benefit best predicts whether someone will engage in the behavior.