Health Beliefs, Optimism, and Preventive Health Decisions in Hong Kong Chinese

The effects of components of the Health Belief Model and optimism on preventive intention were examined in 220 Hong Kong Chinese. Two Health Belief Model variables, benefits and barriers, were experimentally manipulated for an imaginary flu outbreak and a hypothetical vaccine. Participants indicated their intentions to take the hypothetical vaccine after reading each of the treatment combinations defined by the two Health Belief Model variables. Results of an ANOVA suggested that higher benefits and lower barriers were associated with stronger behavioral intentions to take the vaccine. Optimism, however, had no significant effect on preventive intentions. Implications of these findings for future research among Chinese were discussed.