The Health Belief Model (HBM) was developed in the 1950s by U.S. Public Health Service researchers (Hochbaum, Rosenstock, Kegels) to explain why people did or did not participate in tuberculosis screening programmes. The HBM is based on four key constructs:

• Perceived susceptibility — belief about risk of getting the condition
• Perceived severity — belief about seriousness of the condition
• Perceived benefits — belief in effectiveness of action
• Perceived barriers — belief about costs/obstacles of action

In community health nursing, HBM guides health education and behaviour change interventions.