Healthy Skepticism Library item: 1204
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
Hollon MF, Larson EB, Koepsell TD, Downer AE.
Direct-to-consumer marketing of osteoporosis drugs and bone densitometry.
Ann Pharmacother 2003 Jul-Aug; 37:(7-8):976-81
http://www.theannals.com/cgi/content/full/37/7/976
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there is an association between a woman’s exposure to direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertisements for 2 osteoporosis drugs and presentation for bone densitometry. METHODS: A matched case-control study was conducted between October and December 1998 at an academic primary care clinic in Seattle, WA. Seventeen women from the study population (aged >/=18 y, seen in the previous 2 y at the academic primary care clinic) presented for bone densitometry. All 51 women completed a self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: Women familiar with 1 of 2 osteoporosis drugs due to exposure to advertisements had 9 times the odds of densitometry (unadjusted OR 9.3, 95% CI 1.0 to 86). Multivariate analysis, including confounders such as education level and whether a woman had previously had 3 screening tests (mammography, Pap smear, serum cholesterol), revealed a significant and strong association between exposure to advertisements and densitometry (adjusted OR 29, 95% CI 1.6 to 511). CONCLUSIONS: DTC marketing may increase health services utilization. Further independent evaluation of DTC marketing based on available observational evidence is feasible and warranted.
Keywords:
Adult
Advertising
Aged
Alendronate/therapeutic use
Bone Density/drug effects*
Case-Control Studies
Densitometry
Female
Health Education
Humans
Logistic Models
Marketing of Health Services
Middle Aged
Osteoporosis/drug therapy*
Population
Questionnaires
Raloxifene/therapeutic use
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators/therapeutic use
