Final answer:
The Health Belief Model is the theory that includes individual beliefs about susceptibility and severity of diseases as part of understanding behavior change. It's used across various health issues, like HIV/AIDS and Ebola, to predict the likelihood of adopting preventive behaviors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theory/model of behavior change that includes individual perceptions of the susceptibility and severity of a disease is known as the Health Belief Model (HBM). The HBM posits that a person's belief in a personal threat of an illness or disease together with a person's belief in the effectiveness of the recommended health behavior or action will predict the likelihood the person will adopt the behavior. This theory/model suggests that whether an individual takes action to prevent or control illness is influenced by their beliefs regarding the severity of the condition, if they consider themselves susceptible, the benefits of taking preventive action, and the barriers to taking that action. The HBM has been applied to a wide variety of health behaviors and subject areas, including HIV/AIDS, breast cancer, and in the control of communicable diseases such as Ebola. It speaks to the individual's commitment to change their thinking and behaviors, influenced by both cultural contexts and personal biases. Epidemiology and illness prevention are also significant areas where the HBM provides insight into how perceptions and behavior modifications can affect disease outcomes.