Abstract
Changing health behavior is most important among the various objectives of health education practices. In this connection, the "Health Belief Model" which was developed due to the findings of a series of studies on health education in the past two decades in the U.S. is presented by the authors from a historical point of view that (1) the role of health belief in changing health behavior was first and dramatically shown by Hochbaum, (2) his findings were supported by two experiments by Kegeles, and Haef ner and Kirscht, and (3) the Model was developed by Becker et al. based upon these foregoing findings. A few comments on the Model are mentioned by the authors. (1) Because the objects of most studies on health beliefs were on rather simple health behavior such as participating in a screening program and getting vaccinated against communicablediseases, the authors are interested in how the Model could be applied to more complicated and habitual health behavior such as in the case of the diabetic patient who is to take everyday the diet and exercise prescribed by his physician. (2) One more variable would be added to the Model in order to explain motives (providing energy) for health behaviors.
