Health belief model as a theoretical framework for predicting the sleep behaviors of full-time employees

Background: Sleeping 7 to 8 hours on a daily basis is an essential element of optimum health. The purpose of this study was to operationalize the constructs of the health belief model (HBM) to predict and explain the sleeping behaviors of full-time working adults. Methods: The present study represented the first attempt to develop a health belief based model to predict sleep behaviors of full-time employees. The proposed model tested to what extent six predictors of behavior: perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy predicted sleep behavior. A cross-sectional, convenience sample (n=197) of full-time working adults recruited from three worksites in the Cincinnati, Ohio region participated in this study. Results: The instrumentation process included establishment of face and content validity by a panel of six experts (two subject experts, two instrument experts, and two target population experts), readability by Flesch-Kincaid ease test, internal consistency by Cronbach's alpha, stability by test–retest reliability coefficient, and construct validation employing confirmatory factor analysis. The maximum likelihood method was for confirmatory factor analysis and the criteria of Eigen value over 1 and factor loadings over 0.40 guided confirmatory factor analysis. Specification of the final model identified four significant predictors of sleeping behavior: perceived benefits, perceived barriers, self-efficacy, and cues to action. Conclusion: Sleep deprivation has been associated with increased risk for worksite injuries as well as decreased productivity. The HBM is a valid framework for developing and measuring interventions that promote healthy sleeping patterns for working adults.