Using the Health Belief Model to Explore Behavior Change in the Community to Improve Blood Pressure Control: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND: Effective hypertension prevention requires understanding individual and community perceptions and responses to health promotion messages to inform culturally tailored interventions. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of local key stakeholders and consumers of the barriers and facilitators influencing the uptake of behavior change strategies that promote optimal blood pressure control. METHODS: The Health Belief Model underpinned the design of this qualitative study. Three focus groups (N = 27), including community leaders (n = 9), health care workers (n = 10), and consumers (individuals with prehypertension and hypertension, family members; n = 8) were conducted. Purposive sampling based on recommendations from an advisory group was used to recruit participants. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Four themes and 11 subthemes were generated including the following: (1) community perceptions of the rising prevalence of hypertension and its associated health and social consequences (perceived severity); (2) hypertension is asymptomatic, and as a consequence, there is little motivation for behavior change (perceived susceptibility); (3) contextual and cultural barriers challenging the adoption a healthy lifestyle in everyday life (perceived barriers); and (4) enhancing enablers and overcoming barriers to behavior change (perceived benefits, cues to action, and self-efficacy). CONCLUSION: Local stakeholders and consumers identified contextual and cultural barriers as the main obstacles to behavior change, highlighting the need for both community-level strategies to promote participatory public health policy and healthy environments and individual-level strategies to motivate behavior change and help individuals overcome barriers, thereby encouraging sustained change.Reporting Method:The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research was used to instruct this report.Patient or Public Contribution:Patients and community stakeholders actively participated in the data collection process through in-person focus group discussions.