Which statement about the Health Belief Model is true?

• A. It explains change and maintenance of health behavior
• B. It ignores perceived benefits
• C. It assumes everyone has identical cues to action
• D. It excludes self-efficacy

Answer: (A)

The Health Belief Model explains why people decide to take preventive health actions by focusing on beliefs about risk, seriousness, benefits, and barriers, along with prompts to act and confidence in one's ability to act. When someone believes they are at risk for a health problem and that the problem could have serious consequences, and they also believe that taking a particular action would reduce that risk and that any barriers are manageable, they’re more likely to initiate the behavior. Many versions of the model also include cues to action and self-efficacy, which help explain not only starting but also maintaining the change over time. That’s why the statement describing the model as explaining change and maintenance of health behavior is true. It’s not accurate to say it ignores perceived benefits—those are a core part of the model. It doesn’t assume everyone has identical cues to action—cues vary among individuals. It also does not exclude self-efficacy; in updated formulations, self-efficacy is included and supports ongoing action.