Revisiting the Health Belief Model: Nurses applying it to young families and their health promotion needs

The Health Belief Model (HBM) was reviewed with the aim of modifying it so that it reflected a health promotion stance for young families. Since this model's inception, health professionals like nurses have been involved in using the HBM to guide their practice. It is argued that to assist families, nurses now need a model that is focused on ‘health.’ In support of this approach, reorienting the HBM and basing it on ‘positive’ health definitions associated with health promotion, by modifying it through adding the constructs ‘perceived behavioral control’ (representing health locus of control) and ‘behavioral intention’ from Ajzen will provide nurses with a more appropriate and useful model for interacting with families and their preschool children. A summary of positive and negative aspects of the modification of the HBM is presented, followed by a strategy for the process of validating the revised HBM for young families.