Fatalism and its Effect on Health Behaviors in Mississippi and Louisiana Residents

Abstract

The Health Belief Model maps out multiple sources to explain actions people take or do not take in regard to health behaviors. One’s sense of control over one’s own health is a central component of the health belief model. Individuals with a strong sense of control over their outcomes are said to have high self-efficacy. Individuals with a weak sense of control over their outcomes are said to have low levels of self-efficacy which can be thought of as high levels of fatalism. Previous studies suggest that individuals with high self-efficacy are better able to make changes to improve their health, while individuals with high fatalism are less able to make changes to improve their health. Relatively few studies, however, have examined the impact of other variables outside of the health belief model. Using survey data from residents in southeastern Mississippi and Louisiana, this study examined the impact of fatalism (low self-efficacy) on self-reported physical health and dietary intake controlling for social support, community health perceptions, and religiosity. The results suggest that fatalism is not statistically related to the outcomes examined. Furthermore, inclusion of the variables external to the health belief model did not alter the relationship between fatalism and the outcomes.