*2.1. Theoretical Framework*

The health belief model (HBM) first developed by Godfrey H. Hochbaum in the late 1950s is the theoretical framework supporting this study. Hochbaum developed the HBM to understand peoples' behaviors associated with their perceived susceptibility in contracting disease, perceived severity of the disease, perceived benefits to reducing the threat of disease, and perceived barriers to action in decreasing the risk of disease [29]. The first three constructs of perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, and perceived benefits were measured in this study.
