Applying Health Behavioural Theories to Influence Whether People Natural Disasters - Essay Example

Applying Health Behavioral Theories to Influence Whether People Natural Disasters (Hurricane Sandy) Overview Health behavior is regarded as any kind of actions or behavioral patterns followed by individuals to maintain or retain good health and protect against detrimental effects of illness. Individuals contribute to their own health by adopting particular health enhancing behavior and reducing other health conciliation behavior. Health behavior is defined as the activity of a person to be healthy in order to prevent diseases. There are a number of factors that control the individual differences in the tendency to commence health behaviors, including demographic factors, social factors, emotional factors, factors relating to medical care, personality factor (DiClemente, Salazar, & Crosby, 2011). A comprehensive understanding of health behavior theories can facilitate to deal with uncalled for emergency situations caused by natural disasters such as Hurricane Sandy. Hurricane Sandy can bring about the threat of severe diseases which can be considered as a major threat for people residing in the affected areas. Therefore, assessment of severity and determining appropriate measures to deal with the detrimental effects can enable people to retain good health and protect against illness. In order to make a comprehensive assessment, the two health behavioral theories i.e. Health Belief Model (HBM) and Transtheoretical Model (TTM) are being applied to a natural disaster scenario such as Hurricane Sandy. Q1. Brief Discussions of Health Behavioral Theories Health Belief Model (HBM) Health Belief Model (HBM) is one of the integral parts of the practice regarding the public health. This model is mainly based on logic. There are two factors that have significant impacts on health behavior. The first factor is perceived threat and the second one is expected net gain derived from the health protecting behavior. Providing the specific types of knowledge which can protect from disease and can change the behavior of human beings for health enhancing purpose are the main ideas of this model. This model is part of cognitive perspective towards health behavior, whose key idea is that people are observed to be motivated by particular type of knowledge to alter their behaviors. Therefore, it can be said that in case of a natural disasters such as Hurricane Sandy people need to be motivated based on the key dimensions of HBM to alter their behaviors. It can enable to protect against prevailing diseases that might occur after the devastations caused by Hurricane Sandy (DiClemente, Salazar, & Crosby, 2011). Perceived Threat Perceived threat is referred as the most important inspiration of the decision to adopt protective behavior. Perceived threat mainly comprises two conditions that are perceived scary stimulus and perceived vulnerability. In relation to Hurricane Sandy, the perceived scary stimulus can be the massive amount of damages which can be caused in the areas that would face the brunt of the hurricane. It can in turn increase the perceived vulnerability of the people residing in those areas in terms of being affected by diseases caused by viruses or bacteria (DiClemente, Salazar, & Crosby, 2011). The Expected Net Gain The expected net gain of the behavior is the remaining primary force. It ascertains the anticipated net gain of adopting certain health-protective behavior. This construct is common to different theories which are essential theories for health research. With regard to Hurricane Sandy, expected net gain from health protective behaviors can be substantial. If people are able to prepare themselves before natural disasters such as Hurricane Sandy strikes then number of casualties can be reduced significantly. The major constructs of the theory are the perceived severity, perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits and perceived barriers (DiClemente, Salazar, & Crosby, 2011). Perceived susceptibility is the belief that a person can acquire any disease and it results in a detrimental condition. Perceived severity is the belief that the acquired disease has a serious harmful effect on health. Due to Hurricane Sandy, people can become susceptible to a number of air-borne diseases which might be severely harmful. Perceived susceptibility and perceived severity both of the constructs come under perceived threat. Perceived benefit is the belief that the methods which are undertaken for reducing the harmful state of disease from a particular behavior have several advantages. Preventive health behaviors can provide significant benefits to the people affected by Hurricane Sandy as they would be able arrange for required medications beforehand to alleviate the chances of major health hazards. Perceived barrier is the belief that the derived advantages or benefits compensate for any costs or barriers. The benefits that can be gathered from observed perceived advantages can be very important to save lives of people in the affected areas. There are other variables that are considered within the periphery of this model such as cues to action. For example, making announcements related to public service, alerting people by using siren about tornado and receiving messages or information from friends about the effects of Hurricane Sandy so that abrupt evacuation can be made are a few of the instances of cues to action variable (DiClemente, Salazar, & Crosby, 2011). Shortcomings This theory’s main assumption is that people always act rationally. However, this might not result in a long-term behavioral change. Accepting of the behavioral factor depends on a person’s belief as well as attitude. Another crucial limitation is the aspect of volitionality. In relation to this aspect, it can be stated that at times, people are willing to accept the behavioral factor but they would not be able to adopt such behavior because of unavailability of transport, they may be sick and they have no control over the situation. In case of Hurricane Sandy, volitionality aspect can prevent people from being able to take necessary preventive measures. In this situation health belief model is not applicable. Contextually, the relationship between the recognized variables in HBM is not made apparent explicitly. It is also presumed that the variables are not restrained by each other and they possess an additive effect (Munro, Lewin, Swart, & Volmink, 2007). Transtheoretical Model (TTM) Transtheoretical Model discusses how the behavior changes open up through various processes at varied times. This model has five stages such as: Precontemplation In this stage, individuals do not possess any intention to undertake behavioral actions within following six months. They do feel the necessity of taking action regarding detrimental effects of any disease. Some people want to change behavioral factors but not within the next six months. In case of Hurricane Sandy, there might be a requirement of taking fast actions or preventive measures to tackle the situation, which might not be fulfilled if people are not willing to change their behaviors (Munro, Lewin, Swart, & Volmink, 2007). Contemplation In this stage, individuals intend to change behavioral actions within subsequent six months. They believe that behavioral changes are essential factors to prevent the harmful effects of disease. They are quite open about discussing the problem behaviors and want to change them within subsequent six months. This stage can be crucial in case of Hurricane Sandy as there might be need to alter health behaviors for the betterment of affected people (Munro, Lewin, Swart, & Volmink, 2007). Preparation In preparation stage, individuals intend to change their behavior as soon as possible. Generally, they desire to change their actions within subsequent 30 days. It facilitates in their behavioral changes attempt. With regard to Hurricane Sandy, preparation stage can comprise recognizing the severity of the affects of hurricane which can enable to be ready with necessary precautions (Munro, Lewin, Swart, & Volmink, 2007). Action In action stage, the obvious or apparent behaviors of persons are changed for a period of not more than six months. The changes in problem behavior might not be able to reduce the risks. In relation to Hurricane Sandy, action stage can create certain barriers for people if such natural disasters arise within a period of subsequent six months as people might alter their useful health behaviors which in turn can make them vulnerable to threat (Munro, Lewin, Swart, & Volmink, 2007). Maintenance In this stage, individuals make obvious behavioral changes for more than six months period. This results in useful changes of problem behaviors which in turn can become a habit for the individuals and can be quite useful in case of Hurricane Sandy. It also facilitates to deal with scenarios such as Hurricane Sandy as individuals would be able to make use of their prepared plans in subsequent stages to deal with them adequately (Munro, Lewin, Swart, & Volmink, 2007). Other Considerations Decisional balance is a key consideration in which the cause of accepting or not accepting changes in behavioral pattern is described. Decisional balance relates predictably and endeavors to confidently undertake the ‘change’ stages. In relation to Hurricane Sandy, people require to gauge the predictable factors that might occur due to the brunt of fury of the hurricane and take necessary change behaviors. Self-efficacy refers to the confidence of an individual’s own ability to successfully adopt a behavior and to carry it efficiently. To deal with the after affects of Hurricane Sandy, people need to act with self-efficacy to successfully attain positive health behaviors (Munro, Lewin, Swart, & Volmink, 2007). Shortcomings A crucial limitation of this theory is that the stage precontemplation cannot be applied in certain cases such as maintenance in situations like Hurricane Sandy. Some stages of this model or theory are uncertain, vague and cannot be applied in a few cases. This model is more suitable for analysis and understanding of addictive behaviors. Contextually, it can be ascertained that health belief model’s components are sovereign predictors of health behavior. While perceived severity has a fragile correlation with the behavior related to health action. This is not significant as much as perceived susceptibility. In TTM, the time periods allocated to every stage are arbitrary. It is also important to define the stages of TTM more specifically with clear examples (Munro, Lewin, Swart, & Volmink.2007). Q2. Explanations of Health Belief Models or Stage Models Regarding the Failure to Comply With Evacuation Notices In health belief model, the relations between the variables are not clearly expressed and it is unable to describe the clear rule for solving the situations like Hurricane Sandy. This model cannot be executed properly in situation like Hurricane Sandy due to the presence of the volitionality limitation, which might hinder people from taking appropriate actions in such severe situations. According to the precontemplation stage of transteoritical model, individuals do not prefer to obtain any action within six months. Thus, this stage is very much time consuming and cannot be performed at the time of natural disasters such as Hurricane Sandy. Certain stages of transtheoritical model are too long and cannot be applicable at the time of Hurricane Sandy situation such as the maintenance stage. A few stages of this model are uncertain and vague and the variables of this model at times possess uncertain characteristics. This model is quite lengthy which can fail to guide people at times emergency situations like Hurricane Sandy which requires prompt actions and evacuations. Q3. What Are The External Factors Might Account For People Remaining In Their Homes While Living In A Coast Town Facing The Brunt Of A Hurricane? There are certain external factors for which people might remain in their residences while facing the brunt of a hurricane such as Hurricane Sandy. At times, the people of coastal areas are not conscious about the forecast of a hurricane and the requirement of successive evacuation. At times, the actual impact or extent of damage from the ensuing hurricane cannot be determined by the experts, which can result in people to stay in their homes in coastal areas. On certain occasions, people might think that their houses are strong enough to protect them from hurricane. Those people who are sick and cannot walk properly remain in their houses at the time of hurricane. People in coastal areas might at times have no cars or any transportation means to move away from the effected place. In the HBM model’s cues to action dimension, the aspect of altering people is considered as an important factor. Therefore, by considering this factor as directed in the HBM model, people in the coastal areas can be evacuated to safer places. In TTM model, it is briefly discussed that few individuals are not conscious about the changes. They do think that behavioral changes for situations like Hurricane Sandy might not be an appropriate idea. Mainly both the above models are unable to forecast such situations. However, better management and preparedness can be ensured with the help of these models which can in turn facilitate to save lives of people in coastal areas. Q4. The Usefulness of Health Behavior Theory in Explaining and Preparing For Natural Disasters The health belief model is broadly used for intensification of change and health behavior maintenance. Perceived susceptibility is an important factor regarding natural disasters such as Hurricane Sandy and for recognizing the need for taking adequate health behaviors. Perceived severity has potentially serious effects on the diseases caused by Hurricane Sandy. The TTM model is helpful to create awareness among people about associated risks from Hurricane Sandy and utilities. The interferences in this stage make the individuals aware of the problems and enable them to overcome from natural disasters such as Hurricane Sandy. Contemplation is the stage where people are willing to accept the health behavioral factors. This intervention is very much needed to prevent the negative effects caused by Hurricane Sandy. References DiClemente, R. J., Salazar, L. F., & Crosby, R. A. (2011). Health behavior theory for public health: principles, foundations, and applications. United States: Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Munro, S., Lewin, S., Swart, T. & Volmink. V. (2007). A review of health behaviour theories: how useful are these for developing interventions to promote long-term medication adherence for TB and HIV/AIDS?. BMC Public Health. 7:104, pp. 1-16. Read More