Predicting uptake of a routine cervical smear test: A comparison of the health belief model and the theory of planned behaviour |
| |
| Authors: | Alison Bish Stephen Sutton Susan Golombok |
| |
| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Clinical Genetics , Guy's Hospital , London, SE1 9RT;2. Health Behaviour Unit, University College London , London, WC1E 6BT;3. Family and Child Psychology Research Unit, City University , London, EC1V 0HB |
| |
| Abstract: | Abstract This paper reports on a study carried out to identify predictors of uptake of cervical screening among 142 women (59% response rate) in inner London. Two social cognition models were used: The Health Belief Model (HBM; Becker, 1974) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB; Ajzen, 1991) and in addition anticipated affect following non-attendance for screening was assessed. The TPB emerged as by far the superior model for predicting screening intentions, explaining 51% of the variance in comparison with only 4% explained by the HBM variables. However, neither model was able to predict a significant amount of variance in uptake of screening three months later. Possible reasons for the poor prediction of this type of behaviour are discussed. |
| |
| Keywords: | Health belief model theory of planned behaviour screening |
|
|
