Analytic Essay Based on a Case Study

Academicians, healthcare professionals and nurses make use of a variety of theories in an attempt to explain the reasons behind certain human behaviors. Research has revealed that human beings may portray behaviors which cannot be explained through simple clarifications. These behaviors call for extensive evaluation and deeper thinking in order to reveal their inner meanings. Some of the many theories that have been used as the primary framework for discussion and analysis of human behaviors as well as situations that occur in the day to day live of a person include sociological imagination, salutogenesis, and health belief model among others. This article will employ the health belief model to discuss and analyze the behaviors as well as the mode of life of refugee family members who were forced out of their traditional home in Sudan by war two years ago.

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The health belief model was used for this evaluation since it incorporates almost all issues affecting this family. For instance, the health belief model integrates demographic variables such as occupation, gender, age and race that play a major role in determining the kind of life an individual will live. It also incorporates social and economic variables that make it easier for a person to develop practical strategies to deal with social, economic and health challenges. The principles of this model make it easier for one to assess an individual’s capacity in addition to the factors that drive him or her toward developing certain behaviors. Also, through the health belief model it is easier to unearth the factors that drive family members to stick to certain health objectives. The health belief model has been extensively used in measuring the level of perceived control and self efficacy.

It is important to note that most of the behaviors developed by people are as a result of certain situations. The refugee family in the case study, for instance, was forced by war and other acts of violence to relocate from their traditional home to a safer region. The fact that this family came from Sudan, one of the African countries that have been struggling to free themselves from the yokes of ethnicity and tribal wars, justifies the perception that these people moved in search for peace. This aspect fulfills one of the principles of the health belief model which states that people usually perceive the potential seriousness of a situation in terms of discomfort, pain, economic difficulties as well as time lost, and then act in accordance with the perceived outcomes. The refugee family analyzed the situation in their home country and decided to move to a safer region where the risk of grievous outcomes was minimal. It is indicated clearly that the family walked for approximately nine days from their village that was destroyed by a warring tribe and camped at the border. It is highly likely that the family perceived the risk of walking for nine days to be minimal as compared to the risks they were predisposed to by the tribal wars back home. The health belief model makes it clear that on evaluating certain circumstances, individuals may believe that the advantages originating from the recommended behavior by far outweigh the costs as well as the inconveniences, and that these benefits are achievable (Edlin & Golanty, 2009). It is, however, important to note that these perceptions are not equivalent to specific reinforcing factors or rewards. It can be argued that the expected rewards after moving out of their traditional home overwhelmed their capacity to foresee the potential dangers family members would be exposed to at the camp.

The health belief model incorporates two principal elements into its estimations concerning the factors that usually lead to individuals changing their behaviors. These elements are self efficacy and cues to action. This model has it that human beings usually receive a cue to action, also referred to as a precipitating force, which makes them to develop an intense urge to take action. Cues to action are the external as well as intrinsic factors that increase the desire of an individual to change a certain behavior (Current Nursing, 2012). A lack of this driving force implies that one will stick to a particular behavior for as long as it is not increasing his or her risk to grievous danger.

It is stated clearly in the case study that the refugee family has been living in the border camp for almost two years yet the camp does not offer practical solutions to most of the socioeconomic challenges they have been facing all through. It is also clear that the family is not expected to return to their traditional home any time soon. The loss of family properties back home, together with the economic challenges that characterize the day to day life in Sudan, in addition to being some of the precipitating factors that resulted in the family freeing from its home are also believed to limit the chances of the family going back. It can be argued that the family perceives the risk of going back to their village in Sudan to be extremely high as compared to the economic challenges they are facing at the camp. The camp is overcrowded, facilities are limited to basics only, and food is minimal, yet they do not show signs of moving out.

Despite the fact that the family was provided with health care by Medicine Sans Frontier and the local healers to protect them from harm on their journey to their new country, a number of health checks have revealed that all the children suffer from delayed growth and development, as well as poor oral health. Nevertheless, the refugees are not willing to seek specialized care from professionals. These people have been requested to attend the local GP practice for health check, an initiative that is met with smiles and nods; but on follow up two weeks later, it is discovered that none of them have gone for specialized medical care. This behavior can be explained using the health belief model, which was modified to incorporate health problems affecting the people as well as their responses to specific public health counteractions. This model has it that individuals usually seek specialized intervention after evaluating the risk of a certain situation (Artikel, 2012). The model has been made use of as a substitution of beliefs in susceptibility to a health problem or a disease to a more specific belief that someone could be having a disease and know it. It has been largely associated with cognitive factors that predispose an individual to a certain health behavior (Current Nursing, 2012). Even though the model leaves a wide range of aspects unexplained, it has been made use of as a basis on which explanation and prediction of more intricate lifestyle behaviors which require maintenance over a long period of time are grounded. Opponents of the health belief model as a tool for explaining human behavior argue that it lacks consistent predictive power for many habits (Simons-Morton, McLeroy & Wendel, 2011). They also assert that its scope is largely limited to predisposing factors rather than outcomes. It has also been argued that this model accounts for an insignificant proportion of certain behaviors as compared to other theories such as the PRECEDE-PROCEED model, the theory of reasoned action, and planned behavior theory among others (Ayers et al., 2007). However, this model has continuously been used in studies and description of certain health behaviors. It is one of the best models that can be used for generating practical solutions to behaviors that evoke health concerns. This model also addresses the association between beliefs and behaviors portrayed by an individual. It offers a direct way of understanding and predicting the way in which people will behave in relation to their health, in addition to the ways in which they will act in accordance with healthcare therapies (Simons-Morton, McLeroy & Wendel, 2011).

There are a number of concepts borrowed from the health belief model that has been used in the case study; one of them is perceived benefits. It is unfortunate that this aspect has been portrayed from a negative perspective in this case. It has been made clear that despite the family being constantly reminded of the importance of regular health checkups, they do not take actions. It is highly likely that members do not see the potential benefits that would be obtained from such an initiative. Members of the refugee community do not believe that medical check ups can help minimize their health problems. The health belief model proposes that an individual’s perceptions of risks posed by certain health problems, along with the values associated with actions projected towards reducing the risks, highly influence health seeking behavior (University of Twente, 2012). It is almost impossible to convince human beings to change certain behaviors if they believe that they will not benefit from their new behaviors. A large percentage of the people are conservative, and as a result they tend to retain their original behaviors (Ayers et al., 2007). Members of the refugee family, for instance, do not realize that seeking medical assistance may significantly improve the health of their children who are suffering from a variety of disorders.

Presence of barriers to a certain action has been recognized as one of the aspects that can aggravate the health behavior of individuals. In the case study, for instance, discussion with the teachers has identified that the children appear to socially isolate themselves from their peers and demonstrate a lack of concentration in class. On approaching the parents, communication is proving difficult due to poor English speaking skills. Members of the refugee family are also highly suspicious and wary of people from other communities. It can be argued that these people are suffering from inferiority complex, an aspect that makes it hard for them to associate freely with others. In addition to various social and economic hindrances, it is clear that these people do not have the will to change their behavior. The fact that the children are not being fed properly may have contributed to their retarded growth and decreased development. These people, together with their children, do not have the psychological capacity to make practical solutions in their lives. This may be one of the reasons why they are not willing to take on positive behaviors.

It has been revealed that people tend to stick to a certain habit if they believe that change of behavior is going to impact heavily on their lives (Contento, 2010). This behavior is determined by both social and physical difficulties. It is possible that the refugee family feels that change of behavior is a costly affair which they cannot afford. Being a practical theory, however, the health behavior model acknowledges the fact that the desire to change a health behavior is not always enough to really make someone change the behavior (Edberg, 2010). Contemporary political frameworks have also played a major role in shaping the plight of the refugees. The political arena is comprised of people who are willing to do anything in order to remain in power, an aspect that makes it hard for them to consider ethnic minorities (Ivanov & Blue,

2008). This is one of the reasons that have contributed to the refugee family staying in the camp for more than two years. Cultural inclinations may also have contributed to the challenges being faced by the refugee family. Their inability to speak in English, for instance, makes it hard for them to understand medical terms used to describe various conditions. These people live under the yoke of cultural principles that restrain them from taking on potentially beneficial western principles.

Despite all these challenges, it is important for health care professionals to provide members of this family, especially children, with the much needed care in order to alleviate the risk of adverse health effects. The health belief model points out that nurses and other health care professionals are provided with training that increases their understanding of various factors that impact on human behavior (Ayers et al., 2007). Therefore, they are required to make use of their skills to enhance emotional and psychological growth among the people, in addition to stimulating the people’s self knowledge and intellectual capacity (University of Twente, 2012). Intervention strategies that are culturally appropriate should be employed so as to manage most of the challenges affecting the refugees. Medicine Sans Frontier' and the local healers who provided the whole family with amulets should join hands and ensure that provision of health care is not stopped even after the family is fully settled in the camp. Research has revealed that in order to enhance the health of refugees, health programs should employ nurses who have a wide knowledge base, and are able to work in communities characterized by linguistic and cultural diversity. This is because such nurses have the capacity to offer a streamlined health response to all people, regardless of their ethnic backgrounds (Andrews & Boyle, 2007). Local healers should take it upon themselves to look at the holistic health of the family and visit the family’s home regularly to offer advice and consultation. In the home, care providers should analyze the roles played by various factors, including family dynamics, culture, and the environment in creating or destroying a healthy family. In addition, strategies should be put in place to increase access to basic health services. Training sessions should also be conducted to increase family members’ awareness of various health disorders that are highly likely to impact on their health. Educational programs have a high potential of improving the people’s capacity to take care of their health and wellbeing (Bastable, 2006). Nurses’ involvement in the day to day life of the refugees can also enhance the response of various health initiatives to their needs (Ivanov & Blue, 2008).