Applying the health belief model to a home safety intervention in an urban environment

Background As part of a large community intervention aimed at improving home safety behaviors (smoke alarm, carbon monoxide (CO) alarm, hot water temperature), a team of investigators composed educational messages based on constructs from the Health Belief Model (HBM). Fire department personnel and safety educators visited urban homes to educate residents about home safety and to install smoke alarms.

Methods HBM constructs (susceptibility, severity, barriers and benefits) were used to guide the development of an assessment tool and a series of messages for use during home visits. After fire department personnel installed alarms; safety educators assessed hot water temperature and presence of CO alarm, and provided education to residents. Educators were trained to use a protocol of key safety messages for each topic area tailor to residents' knowledge and attitudes, assessed through a 19-item questionnaire.

Results Of the 1214 homes visited 709 residents were interested in education from the safety educators. Knowledge varied across topics and individual items. Related to house fires, most (71%) respondents did not know the most common cause of house fires but were more likely (41%) to correct know when fatal fires happen. Most (77%) respondents did not have a fire escape plan and were counseled on the importance and components of fire escape planning. Additional results will be shared about CO and hot water results.

Conclusions HBM was useful in guiding development of safety assessments and messages used in large community intervention trial.