Page 9 - Management Theory 2023-2024 Edition

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2. Health Behavior

Health behavior is an action taken by a healthy person for the purpose of remaining healthy or in an
asymptomatic state. For example, brushing teeth, avoiding tobacco and alcohol, regular exercising, wearing a
seat belt, etc. People engage in such behaviors for several reasons, including habit, attraction, fear or death.

A Model of Health Behavior or Health Belief Model

The Health Belief Model was developed to give healthcare professions an idea as to why and under what
conditions people take preventive health actions or behaviors. The Health Belief Model depends on three
classes of variables:

1. The individual’s psychological state of readiness to take specific action.

2. The degree to which a particular course of action is believed to have a net beneficial effect in reducing
the health threat.

3. A cure to action that may trigger appropriate action when needed.

Christensen, Fincham and Wertheimer have used the Health Belief Model to find out the patients’ compliance
with therapeutic regimens. Christensen also proposed that compliance with the drug therapy is a dynamic
process in which patients continuously reassess the decision to comply.

Fincham and Wertheimer used the Health Belief Model to predict the patient’s initial compliance rate with drug
prescriptions. By using this model, they categorized 69% of patients into a group that did not comply with the
initial prescription. For example, the patient receives the prescription from the prescriber, and also drops it to a
pharmacy, but never picks up the filled prescription from the pharmacy.

Barriers that affect the patient’s compliance:

1. Cost of medications
2. Lack of access
3. Distance from the pharmacy
4. Transportation facilities
5. Psychological behavior of patients

Wellness and Health

Wellness is defined as an integrated method of functioning which is oriented towards maximizing the potential
of which the individual is capable, within the environment where he or she is functioning.

Wellness normally involves the total person. The mind, body, and spirit are inseparable and constantly interact
to determine one’s experience and behavior.

It is seen as one’s potential for wholeness and well-being, and is strongly influenced by personal choice and
environmental factors.

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