Behavioral Science in Public Health - Essay Example

"Behavioral Science in Public Health" is a good example of a paper on the health system. People’s behaviors determine their health conditions in the community. Behaviors act as a central part of disease prevention (Glass & Mc Atee, 2005). Public health experts are currently using behavioral change models as the foundations for developing strategies that aim at promoting behaviors that reduce illnesses in the community (Dutta- Bergman, 2005). Studies prove the effectiveness of using the models in implementing health promotion programs. The most effective method for implementing a handwashing program among hospital workers will be the Transtheoretical Model of Change. It is crucial to explain the effectiveness of this model in the program.

            The transtheoretical model holds that changes in human behaviors occur in six stages. The model is appropriate because it is based on processes and concepts in other intervention theories, unlike the social cognitive model which does not combine many concepts (Hatchet, Hallam, & Ford, 2013). The model is appropriate because it enables health experts to assess the readiness of the population to adopt the changes which must be done in handwashing promotion (Hall & Rossi, 2008). This is the foundation of any behavioral change programs. Before implementing a change strategy, one has to know the readiness of the targeted population which in this case is the hospital employees. This is usually done in the initial phase of the model which is the pre-contemplation stage.  This model also clearly provides an outline of behavioral change.

            Various behavioral change studies have been conducted to show the effectiveness of the model in health promotional programs. For instance, studies conducted to analyze the effectiveness of the model in making the subjects quit smoking, control their weight, and stop using cocaine proved that the model is generalizable (Prochaska, Velicer, Rossi, et al, 1994). This was attributed to the fact that the model can be used effectively in a wide range of problems and populations. This makes the model effective in the handwashing program since the program will include workers from different departments and of different ages.

            Studies also prove that the transtheoretical model is effective because it enables one to incorporate important concepts from other models such as the decision-making model. This model ensures that one balances decisions in each stage (Prochaska & Velicer, 1997). In the handwashing promotion, the population behaviors will be determined by the decision-making balance.  For instance, in the pre-contemplation stage, many people in the target population usually resist change because the pros of problem behavior seem to overshadow the cons of the behaviors (Prochaska, Velicer, Rossi, et al, 1994). However, in the next stages, the balance between the pros and cons change.

            In addition, this would be an appropriate method to give structure to the promotion program because it is comprehensive due to its simple structure.   This makes it easily adaptable. This is unlike the social cognitive model which covers many aspects of human behavior making it more complex (Bandura, 2004). The model is also valid and reliable. Research outcomes support the reliability and validity of the model (Hollis, Polen, Whitelock, et al, 2013). This explains why it has been used for many years globally by public health experts. The model has been used for the past 25 years. It is also easier to predict and measure the outcomes of a program using this model. Apart from its reliability, the model is also effective because it supports individualized promotion strategies. This hastens the behavioral change process.