Health promotion
Health promotion can be defined as the process that enables individuals to improve and have control over their health status (Fertman and Allensworth). It is clouded with so many theories and beliefs that have been put forth to aid in the explanation and prediction of the health pattern of either a group of people or an individual. These theories and beliefs also offer insightful information into the health education and health intervention that recognizes the economic, environmental, and social factors. This paper will only outline Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and the Health Belief Model (HBM).
Social Cognitive Theory
Social Cognitive Theory is the most valuable theory in the health promotion department because it covers the health determinants of both an individual and group in a more comprehensive manner. It also outlined ways via which the immediate environment of an individual shapes his behavior. Although it highlights three evaluating processes, namely, social categorization, social identification, and social comparison Tajfel and Turner (1979) proposed a more subtle process of categorization, ‘them’ and ‘us’ which simply means ‘out-group’ and ‘in-group’ respectively (Fertman and Allensworth).
Social Categorization:
People, just like objects, are categorized into social groups to aid in their understanding and identification. People can be categorized as Black, White, Hispanic, Christian, Muslim, Students, Hindus, and Americans among others. Each category into which an individual falls tells us something about the person from a social perspective. Individuals also discover themselves through groups in which they are categorized. People will also begin to behave in a more conforming way to the category group by being able to identify the behaviors of the members of your category. Individuals can fit in several groups but each group shapes an individual's social behavior.
Social Identification:
An identity of an individual is adopted from the groups in which they are categorized, for example, Muslims have a unique code for dressing. When an individual is identified as a Muslim then he/she will dress in a uniquely Muslim way. The same applies to students and even Blacks. Another thing is, the emotional structure and self-esteem of an individual will conform to a categorized group.
Social Comparison:
Upon identification with a group another sect of character roots in, comparison. Individuals of a group will only know of their performance or how the society talks about them when they compare with other groups. Inasmuch as it is very dangerous to indulge in comparison, groups can't resist comparing themselves to others. The comparison may result in developing and maintaining self-esteem. A comparison goes beyond wealth and health but also include identity social comparison. Dangerous in the sense that, comparison breeds hostility because it is in the human nature to never accept defeat and as a result evil maybe brooded.
Conclusively, the social cognitive theory does not stem from the social brands of an individual but it carries with it the weight of social identity that forms part and parcel of an individual. Things that are real, vital, and true over things that are self-proclaimed or scientifically fixed like grouping an individual based on mere appearance that is achieved through plastic surgery.
Health Belief Model
HBM was developed in 1966 by Irwin Rosenstock, it is one of the earliest models in influencing health promotion. Its initial use was in explaining the differences in human behaviors in relation to health prevention programs like immunization. Emancipating from the early days of its development, it was helpful in elaborating the likelihood of how the four types of beliefs would affect taking health actions to solve health problems. According to the Health Belief Model, health promotion actions depend on an individual’s susceptibility, severity, benefits, and barriers.
Perceived Susceptibility:
These are groups of people who hold a strong belief that they are susceptible to health problems, that their chances of being adversely affected are so high.
Perceived Severity:
These are groups of people who strongly believe that their health problems have very serious consequences. For example, people with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) believe that death is the ultimate result despite taking the ant-virus drugs.
Perceived Barriers:
These are groups of people who believe that the benefits of health actions outweigh the perceived health costs. Despite the finances that are channeled towards the health sector to save a life. A life is way more important than the finances used to cure the diseases.
Perceived Benefits:
These are groups of people who believe of some specified actions in health promotion.
Application of the Health Belief Model
HBM is a psycho-social model that indulges into the explanations of behaviors through beliefs and attitudes. Its theoretical framework can be applied in so many health-related behaviors but very effective when used in most relevant scenarios to its development. It is applicable in immunization and screening uptake but before then people must know that changes in beliefs and knowledge will always affect the health promotion program.
Conclusion
Health promotion is a diverse topic that enlightens people or groups on how they can take control to improve their health status irrespective of their financial position, religion, ethnic background, and race. Two major theories have been highlighted and indeed SCT put individuals into groups or categories that can enable them to get well acquitted with their immediate environment in the process of improving their behaviors and maintaining their self-esteem. HBM provides very crucial information about the perceptions and beliefs that people have categorically allowed to pilferage their knowledge about their health condition and consequences. Health promotion appeals to people to acquire knowledge about their health status and stop stemming everything from their beliefs and perceptions.
Works Cited
Fertman, Carl I, and Diane D. M. Allensworth. Health Promotion Programs: From Theory to Practice. Jossey-Bass, a Wiley brand, 2017.
