Health beliefs in a population: the Michigan blood pressure survey

Abstract

In a general population sample, we examined relationships between sociodemographic characteristics and health beliefs. Individual questionnaire measures for components of the health belief model were combined to form six scales. In analyses which adjusted for perceived levels of health, sociodemographic markers of social disadvantage (e.g., black race, or low socioeconomic status) appeared to associate with favorable health beliefs, that is, with health beliefs often associated with health promoting behaviors. Specifically, we found that blacks expressed greater concern about health. Women believed they tended to get sick more often and to suffer more severely from illness. Female and older respondents placed greater value on the kinds of services provided by members of the health professions. Female, black, older, and lower socioeconomic status respondents placed greater value on such healthful personal habits as exercise, alcohol avoidance, and proper diet. These results suggested that the poor health suffered by relatively disadvantaged members of society are not, in some manner, a consequence of fundamental beliefs about health.