TO CONCLUDE

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HEALTH BELIEFS 43
Existing theory based interventions
Over recent years an increasing number of behavioural interventions have drawn upon a
theory of behaviour change (Rutter and Quine 2002). Those based upon social cognition
models have attempted to change a range of behaviours. For example, Quine et al.
(2001) followed the steps outlined above to identify salient beliefs about safety helmet
wearing for children. They then developed an intervention based upon persuasion to
change these salient beliefs. The results showed that after the intervention the participants showed more positive beliefs about safety helmet wearing than the control group
and were more likely to wear a helmet at five months follow up. Similarly, McClenden
and Prentice-Dunn (2001) targeted suntanning and developed an intervention based
upon the PMT. PMT variables were measured at baseline and one month follow-up
and those in the intervention group were subjected to lectures, videos, an essay and
discussions. The results showed that the intervention was associated with an increase
in PMT variables and lighter skin as judged by independent raters. Other theory based
interventions have targeted behaviours such as condom use (Conner et al. 1999),
sun cream use (Castle et al. 1999) and cervical cancer screening (Sheeran and Orbell
2000). However, as Hardemen et al. (2002) found from their systematic review,
although many interventions are based upon theory this is often used for the design of
process and outcome measures and to predict intention and behaviour rather than
to design the intervention itself. Further, although there is some evidence that theory
based interventions are successful, whether the use of theory relates to the success of
the intervention remains unclear. For example, Hardemann et al. (2002) reported that
the use of the TPB to develop the intervention was not predictive of the success of the
intervention.
TO CONCLUDE
The role of health beliefs in predicting health-related behaviours has become
increasingly salient with the recent changes in causes of mortality. Some studies
exploring health beliefs have emphasized lay theories, which present individuals as
having complex views and theories about their health which influence their behaviour.
This perspective regards individuals as less rational and examines lay theories in a
relatively unstructured format using a qualitative approach. Other studies have taken a
more quantitative approach and have explored constructs such as attributions, health
locus of control, unrealistic optimism and stages of change. Psychologists have also
developed structured models to integrate these different beliefs and to predict health
behaviours such as the health belief model, the protection motivation theory, the theory
of planned behaviour and the health action process approach. These models consider
individuals to be processors of information and vary in the extent to which they address
the individual’s cognitions about their social world. The models can be used to predict health behaviours quantitatively and have implications for developing methods to
promote change.
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