The Health Belief Model Applied to Understanding Diabetes Regimen Compliance

Inadequate adherence to prescribed treatment plans is perhaps the most serious obstacle to achieving success ful therapeutic outcomes, and non compliance by diabetic patients is no exception. This is partly based on pa tients' realization that compliance does not necessarily result in lack of illness. A psychosocial framework for under standing patient compliance is the Health Belief Model, which is based upon the value an individual places on the identified goal and the likelihood that compliance will achieve that goal. This Model has been useful to explain noncompliance, to make an "educa tional diagnosis," and for designing compliance-enhancing interventions.