Exploring personal aptitudes and personality traits that, together with social determinants, shape health behaviors and conduct: a thematic analysis based on the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation and Behavior (COM-B) change system

Front Public Health. 2024 Jun 5:12:1387528. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1387528. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Introduction: Effective implementation of strategies to promote health and prevent noncommunicable illnesses requires a profound understanding of the interaction between the individual and society. This study brings to health research the consideration of psychosocial factors that influence the maintenance and change of health behaviors and conduct. From a primary care perspective, it is crucial to propose a biopsychosocial approach for the development of health promotion and self-care programs that embrace personal aptitudes as a relevant individual aspect.

Objectives: To explore experiences related to personal aptitudes and personality traits that influence health behaviors and conduct, taking into account the social determinants of health, through a thematic analysis based on the capability-opportunity-motivation and behavior (COM-B) system.

Methods and analysis: This qualitative research is carried out from a descriptive phenomenological perspective, based on 17 focus groups in which 156 people participated. Inductive and deductive analysis techniques were used following Lincoln and Guba's criteria of methodological rigor. In addition to 7 different triangulations of analysts, 6 main categories were identified based on the COM-B system: psychological capacity, physical capacity, physical opportunity, social opportunity, reflective motivation, and automatic motivation. The importance of considering these factors to promote healthy behaviors was stressed.

Discussion: This study examined how personal experiences related personal aptitudes and personality traits influence health behaviors and conduct in Spain. It was found that personality traits such as health literacy, self-efficacy, activation, and self-determination can influence the adoption of healthy behaviors. Likewise, the need for control, overthinking, and ambivalence made it impossible. Furthermore, social determinants of health and interpersonal relationships also play an important role.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04386135. Registered on April 30, 2020.

Keywords: emotional adjustment; health behaviors and conduct; health promotion; personal aptitudes; primary care; qualitative research; self-care; social determinants of health.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Female
  • Focus Groups*
  • Health Behavior*
  • Health Promotion / methods
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Motivation*
  • Personality*
  • Qualitative Research*
  • Social Determinants of Health*

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT04386135

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This study has been funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) with competitive grants for the period 2019–2022 through the Fondo de Investigación para la Salud (FIS), which is co-funded by European Regional Development Fund/European Social Fund “A way to make Europe”/“Investing in your future.” Project Grants codes are: P19/01285; P19/00997; P19/01140; P19/00147; P19/01076; P19/00434; P19/01459; P19/01314; P19/01264 and P19/00115. The coordinator group received a pre doctoral training contract in health research (PFIS-FI20/00270) from the 2020 caLL of the Strategic Action in Health 2017–2020. Investigation groups were also funded through the Research Network in Preventive Activities and Health Promotion in Primary Care (redIAPP), RD16/0007/0001; RD16/0007/0002; RD16/0007/0003; RD16/0007/0004; RD16/0007/0005; RD16/0007/0006; RD16/0007/0008; RD16/0007/0009; RD16/0007/0010 and RD16/0007/0012; and through the research grants on the call for the creation of Health Outcomes-Oriented Cooperative Research Networks (RICORS) co-funded with European Union-NextGenerationEU funds, allowing the creation of the Network for Research on Chronicity, Primary Care, and Health Promotion (RICAPPS) with the following references: RD21/0016/0001; RD21/0016/0003; RD21/0016/0005; RD21/0016/0009; RD21/0016/0010; RD21/0016/0012; RD21/0016/0018; RD21/0016/0022; RD21/0016/0025 and RD21/0016/0029. Additional grants: Gerencia Regional de Salud de Castilla y León (GRS 2306/B/21 and GRS 2356/B/21); Andalusian Ministry of Education and Science (PY20 RE 025). The funders had no role in the study design, writing of the report, or in the decision to submit the article for publication. All authors confirm that they worked independently from funders.