A method for polyvalent analysis of preventive motivations

The article presents a method for polyvalent analysis of preventive motivations (MPAPM). The method is applied by using the survey technique with a specially designed for the purpose questionnaire. Four types of data are gathered and analyzed: social-adaptive indicators, health status, attitude toward prevention and actual choice. MPAPM provides the opportunity to achieve fundamental scientific results in the study of the motivations underlying risk behaviour. Another application of the method is the detailed study of the theoretical and practical aspects of preventive motivations, both in the community and on an individual level--for evaluating the eventual success rate of a particular individual attending preventive programs. It is possible to analyze the potentials of prevention compared to alternative methods of improving one's health status. Juxtaposing conscious motives and actual behaviour, MPAPM enables the researcher to analyze the role of the unconscious aspects of preventive and risk behaviour. MPAPM employs new types of concepts which define the adaptive aspects of disease, health, social status and prevention. In its essence this is a method for marketing study of the polyvalent nature of the need for prevention (combined and concurrent interaction of social, psychological, epidemiological and biological factors).