Idea Library

Classroom Activities

  • Have your students work in groups/teams for this exercise. Have each group select a health condition (e.g. HIV/AIDS). Then have the group select a sub-population (e.g. youth ages 12-17). After the group has selected a sub-population, have the group identify a behavior related to the condition for which they would like to assess (i.e. condom usage). Have the students complete a select number or all of the following:
    • Select/read articles related to this topic area and identify both strengths and limitations in the articles based on construct inclusion, construct measurement, research methods and design.
    • Select at least three constructs using HBM constructs and develop a health intervention based on the selected criteria. Once the intervention is developed, each group can describe their interventions and allow classmates to offer feedback.
    • Develop questions that measure HBM constructs, based on the condition and sub-population you selected. These questions can be either be open or closed-ended.
  • Select an area of health behavior theory on which you would like students to focus (e.g. construct measurement versus study design). Assign students research articles on the HBM with specific questions, such that they can contribute to a discussion on the selected area of focus.

Detailed definitions of validity and reliability measures are provided at:
http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/constval.php.

Additional Reading:

  • Bush-Knapp M.E., Brinsley-Rainisch K.J., Lawton-Ciccarone R.M., Sinkowitz-Cochran R.L., Dressler D.D., Budnitz T., Williams M.V. (2007). Spreading the word, not the infection: Reaching hospitalists about the prevention of antimicrobial resistance. American Journal Infection Control, 35(10), 656-61.
  • Schmiege S.J., Aiken L.S., Sander J.L., Gerend M.A. (2007). Osteoporosis prevention among young women: psychosocial models of calcium consumption and weight-bearing exercise. Health Psychology, 26(5), 577-87.
  • Venmans L.M., Gorter K.J., Hak E, Rutten G.E. (2007). Short-term effects of an educational program on health-seeking behavior for infections in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized controlled intervention trial in primary care. Diabetes Care, 737-744.
  • Sapp S.G.,Weng C.Y. (2007). Examination of the health-belief model to predict the dietary quality and body mass of adults. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 31(3), 189-19.