Applying the Transtheoretical Model of Change in terms of the health issue.

1. Dr. Obumneke Amadi
Applying the TranstheoreticalModelofChange in terms of the health issue
A Description of the Issue You Were Assigned
The infectious disease-pertussis is commonly known as a whooping cough; it has the
capability of causing serious illness in infants, children, and adults. The onset of the disease
typically starts with cold-like symptoms and a mild cough or fever. After a week or two, it can
be followed by a severe coughing. Some common symptoms of the diseases include a runny
nose; low-grade fever; an occasional cough and Apnea i.e. a pause in breathing in infants (CDC,
2013). Children, adolescents, and adults are at risk for the infection. Moreover, it can be
contained through vaccination. Health officials now recommend immunization of Tdap booster
vaccine to protect against a whooping cough (NFID (n.d).
How I Might Apply the Constructs of the Transtheoretical Model of Change to the Health
Issue
Transtheoretical Model (TTM) of Change can be applied to infectious disease-pertussis
problem by matching intervention message to the individual patient need across the TTM
construct e.g. persons in contemplation stage - no intention to take action within a set time could
receive feedback that is designed to increase pros of changing to help them transit into
contemplation stage - intends to take action within a set time (Glanz, Rimer, & Viswanath, 2008,
p.106). Immunization or vaccination uptake would be the most targeted behavior for change in
this theory application. The theory will try to change behavior favoring immunization towards
the adoption of disease prevention behavior and increasing awareness and knowledge regarding
the disease as a means of increasing vaccination uptake e.g. targeting parents’ attitudes towards

2. vaccinating their children, as well as adults adopting the practice as a method of increasing
vaccination rates (Angus, et al., 2013).
Two Justifications as To Why This Theory May Be Appropriate To Use for This Health
Issue
TTM theory is comprised of a comparative analysis of psychotherapy and behavior
change integration and have been applied by many researchers in similar health issue for solution
intervention. The two justification for the applicability of this theory to infectious disease-
pertussis are
1) Participants can use different processes of change at different times in their struggle
with vaccination adoption
2) The processes of change that are predictive include perception raising and case
management
(Glanz, Rimer, & Viswanath, 2008, p.98).
Two Possible Limitations of Applying This Theory to Your Health Issue
The two possible limitations of applying TTM theory are:
1) People may not have a clear sense for how much time is needed for each stage, or
how long they can remain in a stage.
2) It may be difficult for patients to make rational plans in their decision-making
process
(BUSPH, 2013).
References
Angus, K., Cairns, G., Purves, R., Bryce, S., MacDonald, L., & Gordon, R. (2013). Systematic

3. literature review to examine the evidence for the effectiveness of interventions that use
theories and models of behaviour change: towards the prevention and control of
communicable diseases. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
BUSPH (2013).The Transtheoretical Model (Stages of Change) Retrieved from
http://sphweb.bumc.bu.edu/otlt/MPH-Modules/SB/SB721-Models/SB721-Models6.html
CDC(2013).Signs & Symptoms. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/about/signs-
symptoms.html
Glanz, K., Rimer, B. K., & Viswanath, K. (Eds.). (2008). Health behavior and health education:
Theory, research, and practice (4th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Klitzner M., Gruenewald, P. J., Bamberger, E., & Rossiter, C. (1994). A quasi-experimental
evaluation of students against driving drunk. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol
Abuse, 20(1), 57–74.
NFID (n.d). Pertussis (Whooping Cough). Retrieved from http://www.nfid.org/pertussis/