The effect of education based on health belief model on health promotion behaviors in middle-aged women

Creating and developing health-promoting behaviors in middle-aged women has a potential impact on promoting their health and quality of life. Therefore, it is necessary to design appropriate educational interventions in this group. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of education based on health belief model on health-promotion behaviors in middle-aged women.

This descriptive-analytical study was performed as an intervention in 2019 on 64 middle-aged women referring to two comprehensive health services centers in Mashhad. Data collection tools were a standard questionnaire of health-promotion behaviors and a researcher-made questionnaire based on the health belief model that was completed before and after training in two intervention and control groups. Independent t-test, paired t-test and Mann-Whitney U test were used.

Before the intervention, the two control and intervention groups were identical in terms of the mean overall score of health-promotion behaviors, however, one month after the intervention, the mean overall score of health-promotion behaviors and its dimensions in the intervention group was significantly higher than that in the control group.

Education based on the health belief model can improve health-promotion behaviors. Thus, it is necessary for health care providers in health centers to be trained on using models of behavior change.