[Durgical](https://durgical.com/en/) › [DurgiPedia](https://durgical.com/en/durgipedia/) › [Behavioral science](https://durgical.com/en/behavioral-science/) › [Health behavior and adherence](https://durgical.com/en/behavioral-science/areas/health-behavior/) › The health belief model

# The health belief model

- Theory

It says a person acts for their health when they feel at risk, see the problem as serious, believe the action works and face few obstacles.

Updated Nov 5, 2026

## Key points

- Perceived susceptibility: believing you could get the problem.
- Perceived severity: believing the problem has serious consequences.
- Perceived benefits: believing the action lowers the risk or the severity.
- Perceived barriers: the material and psychological costs of acting; often the strongest predictor.
- Cues to action: triggers for the behaviour (a symptom, a reminder, a campaign).
- Self-efficacy: confidence in being able to do the action; added to the model later.

## What it is

The health belief model was created in the 1950s by social psychologists at the US Public Health Service to understand why so few people used free chest X-ray screening for tuberculosis. It proposes that behaviour depends on how a person perceives a threat and how they weigh the recommended action. It now has six components and is used to design screening, vaccination and adherence campaigns.

## Key facts

- Perceived threat = susceptibility + severity; outcome expectation = benefits minus barriers.
- Modifying factors: age, sex, education, culture and prior knowledge shape all the beliefs.
- It rests on a core cognitive-behavioural idea: knowledge is necessary but not enough for change.
- It fits best for behaviour driven by health concern, such as screening or sexual risk behaviour.

## The model's components applied to a person with hypertension and no symptoms

| Component | Belief that favours action | Clinician strategy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Susceptibility | ‘Even though I feel nothing, my blood pressure is high’ | Show their own readings and explain their personal risk |
| Severity | ‘It could cause a heart attack or a stroke’ | Explain the consequences without alarmism |
| Benefits | ‘Treatment lowers that risk’ | Give clear figures on the expected benefit |
| Barriers | ‘It is not that expensive or that hard’ | Sort out cost, side effects and complexity; correct myths |
| Cues to action | ‘The phone alarm reminds me’ | Reminders, calls, dose calendar |
| Self-efficacy | ‘I can do this every day’ | Small goals, practice and praise for progress |

## Clinical notes

- Limits: it handles habits, emotions and social pressure poorly; susceptibility and severity predict less than barriers.
- It explains poor adherence in symptom-free disease: if the person does not feel ill, perceived threat is low.

## Memory aid

‘Could it be me? Is it serious? Does it work? What does it cost? What reminds me? Can I?’: six questions a person asks before acting.

## Test yourself

Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.

## Why was the health belief model created?

To explain why so few people used the free tuberculosis screening offered by the US Public Health Service in the 1950s.

## A woman skips her Pap test because nobody can look after her children. Which component explains this?

Perceived barriers: for her, the practical cost of acting outweighs the expected benefit.

## Which component was added later to the original model?

Self-efficacy, the person's confidence that they can carry out the recommended behaviour.

## What is a cue to action, and what is an example?

An internal or external trigger for the behaviour, such as a symptom, a doctor's reminder or a vaccination campaign.

[Add to my cards (4)](https://durgical.app/estudiar/?add=/en/behavioral-science/the-health-belief-model/)

## Connections

## Related 5

- [Self-efficacy, locus of control and planned behavior](https://durgical.com/en/behavioral-science/self-efficacy-locus-of-control-and-planned-behavior/)
- [The stages of change (transtheoretical model)](https://durgical.com/en/behavioral-science/the-stages-of-change/)
- [Adherence: what it is and why it fails](https://durgical.com/en/behavioral-science/adherence-what-it-is-and-why-it-fails/)
- [How to improve adherence](https://durgical.com/en/behavioral-science/how-to-improve-adherence/)
- [The reaction to illness: sick role, illness behavior and hospitalization](https://durgical.com/en/behavioral-science/the-reaction-to-illness-sick-role-illness-behavior-and-hospitalization/)

## Related conditions 3

- [Arterial hypertension](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/arterial-hypertension/)
- [Pulmonary tuberculosis](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/pulmonary-tuberculosis/)
- [Cervical cancer](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/cervical-cancer/)

[← All of behavioral science](https://durgical.com/en/behavioral-science/)

Educational content on behavior and the clinical relationship; not a diagnostic or treatment guide and no substitute for assessment by a health professional. If you or someone near you is at risk, seek help now from an emergency service or a mental-health helpline.

Sources: [Theory at a Glance: A Guide For Health Promotion Practice (Second Edition)](https://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/theory.pdf) (National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (US), 2005); [Perceived Severity](https://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/brp/research/constructs/perceived-severity) (National Cancer Institute, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences (US), 2020).

## **Spotted a mistake?** We are always improving for the community. Tell us what is wrong and our team will review it. Report a mistake

Representative model, for educational purposes only.

---
Source: https://durgical.com/en/behavioral-science/the-health-belief-model/
License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/behavioral-science/the-health-belief-model/