ABSTRACT
This chapter describes two sets of health belief scales which were developed respectively from the responses of insulin-treated and tablet-treated diabetic individuals who attended hospital outpatient clinics in Sheffield, UK. Measures specific to these different types of diabetic regimen were conceived because it has been noted that the psychological responses of individuals to their disorder will differ according to disease type and treatment mode (Davis et al., 1987). The main purpose of the scales was to measure beliefs about diabetes and its complications in order to understand individual differences in preferences for different treatment regimens and to assess treatment efficacy. They are likely to be particularly useful in research which aims to assess the effectiveness of interventions such as education programmes seeking to modify health beliefs to achieve desired health outcomes. The scales may be useful also as instruments of audit if indicators about the suitability of possible interventions are sought. It is important to appreciate, however, that it is not appropriate to use the measures to specify a ‘gold standard’ pattern of beliefs recommended for all people with diabetes mellitus. Indeed, the scales provide measures of psychological processes rather than outcomes. As such, they may be used to understand how patients’ beliefs are associated with their behaviour in the context of the treatment and education provided, and the particular health care system in which they find themselves. Health care practitioners should then be better informed in order to intervene more appropriately and organise their services to achieve greater effectiveness.
