Health Belief Model Application for Aged Residents' Physical Activity

Desklib provides past papers and solved assignments for students. This report applies the Health Belief Model to improve physical activity among the elderly.

HEALTH BELIEF MODEL

The Health Belief Model in this
discussion attempts to predict and
explain the health conditions and
behaviours for the aged residents
living in the healthcare facility. The
model was developed in the year
1950 by the psychologists
Hochbaum, Rosenstock, and Kegels
as a response to failure towards free
tuberculosis screening program.
Since then, this model has been
adapted for exploring different
INTRODUCTION

The model attempts to
understand the health beliefs
and attitudes of an individual
and explains the health
behaviour and predicts the
action of an individual if the
person:
• Believes that the negative
health condition can be
avoided (lack of regular
exercise can lead to poor
quality of life, increased
IDENTIFIERS:

• Understands that by
taking the positive step,
he/she can avoid a negative
health condition (the aged
residents within the
healthcare facility should feel
motivated with the positive
outcomes of regular exercise
and physical activity) and
• Feels confident that they
can adapt to healthy
behaviour as a routine (they
should be aware of the safe
limits of exercise that can help

CRITERIONS
Criterion 1 Meaning Application
Perceived
susceptibilit
y
Explains the
probability of
an aged
individual
within the
healthcare
setting being
affected with
a health
condition due
to the lack of
adequate
physical
exercise
Target group: Residents of the aged
healthcare towards the importance of
regular exercises and its efficacy
Risk levels: inactivity or sedentary
lifestyle within the healthcare facility
is one of the primary causes of
increased disease prevalence, the risk
of falls, psychological and mental
illness that can lead to higher
mortality rates (O'connor, et al., 2014).

Criterion 1 Meaning Application
Identified prevalence: Studies prove
that merely 1/4th of the geriatric
population meet the required levels of
physical activity and hospitalization or
healthcare facility further increases the
risk of sedentary lifestyle activity owing
to poor levels of physical independence

Criterion 2 Meaning Application
Perceived
benefits
Determines the
efficacy of the
taken step or
action for
reducing the
impact of the
identified health
outcome
Motivation and increased
awareness are essential for
replacing the sedentary lifestyle
with active physical health
behaviours. To reduce the
sedentary lifestyle, the activities
of low-intensity such as
gardening or slow walking
would be adequate.

Criterion 2 Meaning Application
Further, the strategies that can help
to improve the levels of physical
activity within the residents of aged
care includes:
A daily routine of different exercises
with 2-3 short interval breaks
Strategies that can promote
movement such as walking up to the
dining hall rather than using the
wheelchairs, organizing events/fun
activities that motivate them to move
out of their rooms
Avoid the chemical and physical
restraints that reduce the extent of
sedentary lifestyle
Involvement of occupational
therapists to initiate activities like
dancing, gardening, etc, along with
the choices and involvement of the
aged residents

Criterion 3 Meaning Application
Perceived
barriers
The barriers
that hinder the
involvement of
the residents to
get involved in
improved levels
of physical care
and activity
The identified barriers that prevent the
aged residents in adopting a healthy
lifestyle are:
Compromised self-efficacy: This refers
to poor confidence of a person in
realizing their ability to complete the
given set of task. The usual reasons for
this are poor body fitness and increased
disease prevalence. To reduce this,
there should be active involvement of
physical trainer or occupational
therapist who can assist the aged
residents with the required and safe
levels of physical activity (Montanaro
and Bryan, 2014).

Criterion 3 Meaning Application
Depression and anxiety (commonly found in
older adults): this can be curtailed by
motivational speeches or with actual
realization of the identified benefits of
physical activity (Jones, et al., 2014)
Inertia: another reason for lack of interest in
being involved towards the physical
exercises. This should be worked upon and
regular targets should be decided for such a
group of individuals to achieve the desired
benefits

Criterion 4 Meaning Application
Cues to
action
This would
involve the
active
interventio
ns which
can help to
change the
existing
health
behaviors
and
minimize
the
influence
of
identified
barriers
This would bring into consideration the
desires, beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions
of aged residents living within the
healthcare facility towards the physical
activity and exercises. Along with this, the
use of posters, live videos, role plays, and
individual experiences can also help to
change the attitude of an individual towards
the adoption of healthy lifestyle choices

CONCLUSIO
N
This is one of the highly recognized conceptual frameworks for
predicting health behaviour amongst the aged residents within the
healthcare. This model can prevent the target population by facing
the adverse events/outcomes of the identified health condition
(Green and Murphy, 2014). This model is also utilized by the public
health care workers to identify the required step/action that can
change the behaviour of the target group of the population towards
the health condition and therefore reduce the severity, ill effects or
health susceptibility.