Predicting men’s intentions to seek help for cancer symptoms: a comparison of the Theory of Planned Behaviour and the Health Belief Model

Targeted behavioural interventions are needed to address psychosocial factors leading to slower help-seeking for cancer symptoms among men. This study compared the variance in men’s help-seeking intentions explained by the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Health Belief Model. A cross-sectional survey of 127 men was conducted, testing symptom knowledge and theory-derived constructs from the Theory of Planned Behaviour (attitudes, perceived norms, perceived behavioural control) and Health Belief Model (susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers). The outcome variable was intention to seek help for cancer symptoms. Separate and combined hierarchical regressions tested the relative predictive power of the two models, potential overlap in variance explained, and the most salient constructs within the models. Separate regressions (controlling for age and symptom knowledge) showed each model explained 10–12% variance in men’s help-seeking intentions over and above the adjusted variables. The combined regression indicated symptom knowledge, perceived benefits, and perceived behavioural control were significant predictors of men’s intentions (35% total variance explained). The Theory of Planned Behaviour and Health Belief Model may not be optimal models for explaining men’s help-seeking intentions for cancer symptoms, however, select constructs are important correlates. Future interventions may usefully target symptom knowledge, health beliefs, and control beliefs.

亟需针对性行为干预措施，以解决导致男性对癌症症状求助意愿迟缓的社会心理因素。本研究基于计划行为理论（Theory of Planned Behaviour）与健康信念模型（Health Belief Model），对比了二者对男性癌症症状求助意向的解释变异量。研究开展了一项针对127名男性的横断面调查，测试了症状知识，以及来自计划行为理论的态度、感知规范、感知行为控制等构念，与健康信念模型的易感性、严重性、收益感知、障碍感知等构念。本研究的因变量为针对癌症症状寻求医疗帮助的意向。通过独立层级回归与联合层级回归，检验了两种模型的相对预测效力、解释变异量间的潜在重叠，以及模型内最具显著性的构念。校正年龄与症状知识后的独立层级回归结果显示，相较于校正后的变量，两种模型各自可解释男性求助意向10%至12%的变异量。联合层级回归结果表明，症状知识、收益感知与感知行为控制是男性求助意向的显著预测因素，总解释变异量达35%。尽管计划行为理论与健康信念模型或并非解释男性癌症症状求助意向的最优模型，但部分核心构念仍是重要的相关因素。未来的干预措施可针对性聚焦于症状知识、健康信念与控制信念的构建。