The Health Belief Model and Assertive Behavior of Asking Smokers Not to Smoke among College Students

Kim, Eun Kyung; Choo, Jina

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The present study was to apply the Health Belief Model (HBM) to identify factors associated with an assertive behavior of asking smokers not to smoke among college students in Korea when they were exposed to secondhand smoke.
METHODS
Data were collected from college students (n=2,061, 66.5% females) at two universities in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. A main outcome measure was the assertive behavior. HBM factors including perceived susceptibility to illness, perceived severity of illness, perceived barrier to the assertive behavior, and cues to action were self-administrated.
RESULTS
The mean of the assertive behavior (range 1-5 points) was 2.20 points with 39.1% never being assertive and 4.2% always being assertive. Based on results of a multiple logistic regression analysis, high levels of perceived severity (odds ratio, OR 2.04, 95% confidence interval, CI 1.40-2.97) and perceived barrier (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.41-2.08) were significantly associated with the assertive behavior, while perceived susceptibility and cues to action were not.
CONCLUSIONS
Perceived severity and perceived barrier of the HBM model were significant factors associated with the assertive behavior among college students. Modifying these factors may lead to enhancing the assertive behavior of asking smokers not to smoke when college students were exposed to secondhand smoke.