The Health Belief Model includes three components.

• A. All of the above
• B. An individual9s perception of the susceptibility of the illness
• C. An individual9s perception of the seriousness of the illness
• D. The likelihood that a person will take preventative action

Answer: (A)

Understanding how the Health Belief Model predicts health actions starts with how a person views their risk and the potential impact of a disease, and whether they intend to act to prevent it. The model says people are more likely to take preventive steps if they feel personally susceptible to the illness and believe the illness would have serious consequences. It also matters whether they think taking preventive action will actually reduce risk and be doable, which translates into the likelihood of acting. These aspects—perceived susceptibility, perceived seriousness, and the likelihood of taking preventive action—cover the main ideas the model uses to explain behavior, so choosing the option that includes all of them is the best fit. Some texts distinguish additional components as part of the model, but for this question the three elements shown are central to predicting preventive action.