Perceived Risk and Self-Efficacy as Motivators: Understanding Individuals' Long-Term Use of Health Information

Abstract

Using Witte's (1992) extended parallel process model, this study identifies 4 groups of individuals according to their perceived risk and self-efficacy: responsive (high perceived risk, high efficacy), proactive (low perceived risk, high efficacy), avoidance (high perceived risk, low efficacy), and indifference (low perceived risk, low efficacy). Membership in these groups is hypothesized to influence motivation to think about cardiovascular diseases (CVD), use of CVD-related information, and knowledge acquisition. In the cross-sectional data waves, there was a significant interaction between risk perception and self-efficacy on individuals' (a) motivation to think about CVD issues, (b) use of health information, and (c) knowledge acquisition.This study also found similar results longitudinally over a 2-year and a 6-year period.

An Examination of Factors Associated With Self-Efficacy for Food Choice and Healthy Eating among Low-Income Adolescents in Three U.S. States

“…Similarly, efficacy for healthy eating was correlated with attitudes toward health, perceived healthy food availability, and perceived control. These findings are in line with previous studies that have found a relationship between personal factors with behaviors, where selfefficacy plays the moderating role in advocated health behavior (Bandura, 1977(Bandura, , 2004Janz and Becker, 1984;Rimal, 2001). …”

“…Despite such communication efforts, a persistent gap exists between risk perception and adoption of self-protective behavior, which continues to attract researchers' attention (Rimal, 2001). In obesity-related interventions, suggestions have been made to focus on self-efficacy in weight management as a better estimate for effectiveness in behavior change, especially for the obese population, and this would include incorporating self-regulatory strategies into their daily program to enhance self-efficacy (Bas and Donmez, 2009).…”

“…The role self-efficacy plays in health care and as a reliable predictor of behavior change for better health outcomes has been evidenced in many studies [e.g., Bandura (1977Bandura ( , 2004, Janz and Becker (1984), Rimal (2001), Schwarzer and Luszczynska (2006), and Rutkowski and Connelly (2012)]. Self-efficacy is a key component in Bandura's social cognitive theory that posits a causal relationship where personal, behavioral, and environmental determinants interact with each other in predicting health risks and behaviors (Bandura, 1986).…”

“…Personal factors include knowledge, values, beliefs, attitudes, and self-efficacy that relates to a certain behavior. Research shows health knowledge and behavior to be moderately correlated, whereas self-efficacy, involvement, and interpersonal communication are moderating variables in the behavior change process (Rimal, 2001). In Bandura's theory, self-efficacy beliefs operate together with knowledge of health risks, goals, outcome expectations, and perceived environmental impediments and facilitators in the regulation of human motivation, behavior, and well-being (Bandura, 2004).…”

A Systematic Review of Factors Influencing Medication Adherence to Hypertension Treatment in Developing Countries

“…This is an unfortunate omission given the importance of such risk perceptions in medication adherence. Earlier studies in developed countries have shown that patients who accurately perceive their risk of cardiovascular disease are more likely to be adherent to medications and guidelines compared to those who do not perceive themselves to be at risk [66] [67] [68] [69]. Women's perceptions of their risk for heart disease can significantly influence their decision-making process concerning healthcare choice [70].…”