title: The Health Belief Model can guide modern contraceptive behavior research and practice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Theory-based research is needed to understand poor contraceptive behavior and related reproductive health sequelae. The purpose of this review was to examine the Health Belief Model (HBM) as a comprehensive, well-tested social-cognitive framework suitable for explaining and predicting contraceptive behavior.
  
  
  METHODS
  Existing literature, including editorials and research reports, describing HBM-guided contraceptive research between January 1966 and February 2011 was retrieved from established electronic databases. After consideration of inclusion/exclusion criteria, 10 articles were included in the review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Issues in original family planning applications of HBM included inconsistent conceptualizations of contraceptive behavior and limited use of all HBM constructs in research surveys, interventions, and analyses. Knowledge of contraceptive behavior has evolved, warranting more comprehensive use of the HBM for pertinent reproductive health contexts, behaviors, and methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With more rigorous applications, the HBM can help us understand modern contraceptive behavior determinants and facilitate strategies to prevent unintended pregnancy and promote positive family planning outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Office of Population Research, Center for Health and Wellbeing, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA. kshall@princeton.edu
authors.forename: Kelli Stidham
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D035841:Behavioral Research / Q000379:methods*; D003210:Concept Formation; D003268:Contraception Behavior; D005193:Family Planning Services; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011247:Pregnancy