Healthy Skepticism Library item: 6883

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Sansgiry S, Sharp WT, Sansgiry SS.
Consumer understanding and interpretation of printed over-the-counter drug advertisements
Journal of Pharmaceutical Marketing & Management 1999; 13:(1):15-26

Abstract:

Advertising is a medium for disseminating product information to the consumer. The information advertised will be helpful only if the intended message is received by the consumer. Misleading advertisements may lead to inappropriate comprehension of product information and thus to undesirable product use. This study evaluated consumer comprehension and interpretation of print advertisements for OTC products. Additionally, the study compared results of consumer interpretations with a panel of health professionals using a 7-point, 13-item, cognitive reaction (CR) scale. Five clinical pharmacists served as the expert reviewer panel, and 42 randomly selected students were participants in the consumer group. Fourteen advertisements were evaluated in this study. Advertisements were selected from three consumer periodicals over a nine-month period beginning January 1994. The results indicate that consumers could not identify product use (10%), age group for which the product could be used (45%), side effects (80%), and contraindications (86%) of the products. Consumers also indicated that the advertisements examined in this study did not help them evaluate information on side effects and contraindications (91%). Consumer opinions differed significantly as compared to the reviewer panel on 6 of 13 factors examined using the CR scale. The six factors were interest, similarity, misleading, complete, good, and risk. Reviewers rated the ads to be misleading, bad, and incomplete, while consumers rated them to be factual, good, and complete. Information on side effects, contraindications, and product use was not adequate in the advertisements. Consumers were not able to identify advertisements that contained misleading and inaccurate information. This could lead to inappropriate product selection leading to product misuse adn adverse events.

Keywords:
*analytic survey/United States/over-the-counter medications/ journal advertisements/ consumer behaviour & knowledge/ general public and consumers/ quality of information/ safety & risk information/ATTITUDES REGARDING PROMOTION: CONSUMERS/PATIENTS/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER ADVERTISING/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: GENERAL QUALITY OF INFORMATION/INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: CONSUMERS AND PATIENTS