Analysis of the Health Belief Model for Cardiovascular Health Issues

This assignment explores the application of the Health Belief Model (HBM) to cardiovascular health issues. The student analyzes the HBM's constructs, including perceived benefits, barriers, and cues to action, to understand health behaviors related to heart disease. The assignment provides a rationale for choosing the HBM, highlighting its effectiveness in guiding behavioral interventions and patient education, particularly in areas like dietary guidelines and risk factor management. The student also discusses their role as a public health professional, emphasizing the importance of assessing health literacy, designing educational programs, and providing referral services to improve patient outcomes. The references provided support the use of the HBM in promoting cardiovascular health and patient safety.

Running head: NURSING
NURSING
Name of the Student
Name of the university
Author’s note

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SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY, HEALTH BELIEF MODEL, OR THEORY OF
PLANNED BEHAVIOR TO THE HEALTH ISSUE
The health issue that has been chosen in unit 1 is cardiovascular issue. There are several
theories of models in order to describe a particular health behavior or to chalk out an intervention
plan. The health belief model is a theoretical model that can be used for the guiding health
promotion and programs for disease prevention. As per this model, before making of an
intervention plan, it is necessary to understand the mindset of the people against a particular type
of diseases. In terms of heart diseases, the constructs of the health belief model are 1) Perceived
benefits: understanding the perception of people regarding the risk of acquiring a ailment,2)
Perceived barriers: belief of a person about the risk of contracting a disease 3)Perceived barriers:
beliefs of a person about the possible adverse aspect of taking a specific health action 4) Cue to
action: internal or the external cues determining the readiness of a person to trigger the decisions
making process (Rajati et al., 2016).
RATIONALE FOR CHOOSING THIS MODEL
Social cognitive theory can provide a framework for a successfully guided behavioural
intervention. Again there is planned behaviour intervention for introducing the regular physical
activity or healthy eating habits, but the health belief model analysis the health behaviour of a
group against a particular diseases (Shojaei, Farhadloo, Aein & Vahedian, 2016). For example, if
it is found that a person having hypertension, does not have any knowledge regarding his dietary

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guidelines, then as per the health belief model, he should be taught about proper diet. On the
other hand, while dealing with a patient having diabetes and hypertension, more emphasis should
be given on reduction of the blood sugar level than any other less important risk factor of
hypertension. Hence, it can be said that the health belief model is best for describing a
cardiovascular issue among a population.
ANALYSIS OF MY ROLE AS A PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONAL IN
CONSTRUCT OF THE MODEL CHOSEN
The Health belief model should be used as a framework for understanding how the
perception of the benefits, threats, cues to action and self-efficacy plays a crucial part in the
probability of the patients to get involved in practices for patient safety (Bishop et al., 2016).
As a health professional, it is my duty to assess the health behaviours of people with
respect to a particular illness. If the health literacy of people about cardiovascular health is low,
then educational programs can be set to educate people about cardiovascular health- educating
them about the initial symptoms of heart diseases, the safety measures, the type of diet that needs
to be followed, incidental exercises that needs to be done (Bishop et al., 2016). If needed we
should also provide information regarding the referral services that can be provided to patients.

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REFERENCES
Bishop, A. C., Baker, G. R., Boyle, T. A., & MacKinnon, N. J. (2015). Using the H ealth B elief
M odel to explain patient involvement in patient safety. Health Expectations, 18(6),
3019-3033.
Hayman, L. L., Berra, K., Fletcher, B. J., & Miller, N. H. (2015). The role of nurses in
promoting cardiovascular health worldwide: the global cardiovascular nursing leadership
forum.
Rajati, F., Mostafavi, F., Sharifirad, G., Sadeghi, M., Tavakol, K., Feizi, A., & Pashaei, T.
(2013). A theory-based exercise intervention in patients with heart failure: A protocol for
randomized, controlled trial. Journal of research in medical sciences : the official journal
of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 18(8), 659–667.
Shojaei, S., Farhadloo, R., Aein, A., & Vahedian, M. (2016). Effects of the Health Belief Model
(HBM)-Based Educational Program on the Nutritional Knowledge and Behaviors
of CABG Patients. The journal of Tehran Heart Center, 11(4), 181–186.