Concept of health and disease: Health Belief Model: practice question

A PSM question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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PSM · Concept of health and disease: Health Belief Model

Sample item

A health educator finds that women in a village know that cervical cancer is a serious and often fatal disease, but few attend screening because they feel it can never happen to them. In the Health Belief Model, which construct is mainly low?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Perceived susceptibility

The Health Belief Model explains health behaviour through perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, cues to action and self-efficacy. Here the women accept that the disease is serious, but do not believe they are personally at risk, so susceptibility is the construct to strengthen.

Option by option

  • A. Perceived severity

    Severity is not the problem, because they already recognise that the disease is serious and often fatal.

  • B. Perceived barriers

    Barriers such as cost, distance or fear of the procedure are not described in the stem.

  • C. Perceived susceptibility (correct)

    Correct. They do not believe they are personally likely to get the disease.

  • D. Cues to action

    Cues to action are external triggers such as reminders or a neighbour's illness, and nothing in the stem concerns them.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this PSM question

What is the answer to this PSM question?

The best answer is C, Perceived susceptibility. The Health Belief Model explains health behaviour through perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, cues to action and self-efficacy.

Why is "Perceived severity" not the answer?

Severity is not the problem, because they already recognise that the disease is serious and often fatal.

Why is "Perceived barriers" not the answer?

Barriers such as cost, distance or fear of the procedure are not described in the stem.

Why is "Cues to action" not the answer?

Cues to action are external triggers such as reminders or a neighbour's illness, and nothing in the stem concerns them.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Concept of health and disease: Health Belief Model in PSM. Here the women accept that the disease is serious, but do not believe they are personally at risk, so susceptibility is the construct to strengthen.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Concept of health and disease: Health Belief Model?

Practise biostatistics with small calculations until sensitivity, predictive values and risk measures are automatic. Then use the flashcards and the other PSM questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.