Healthy Skepticism Library item: 14181

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

Mastroianni PC, Vaz AC, Noto AR, Galduróz JC.
[Psychoactive drug advertising: content analysis].
Rev Saude Publica. 2008 Aug 14;
http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-89102008005000045&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en

Abstract:

The goal of this study was to describe the human figures portrayed in psychoactive drug advertising in terms of gender, age, ethnic group, and social context. Content analysis for 86 new pieces of printed advertisements released in 2005 was carried out. Fisher exact test was used to analyze the association between categories. There was a preponderance of women (62.8%) who were four times more present in advertisements for antidepressants and anxyolitics than men. Most of the people shown were Caucasian (98.8%) young adults (72%). These people were pictured in leisure activities (46.5%), at home (29%), or in contact with nature (16.2%). The message conveyed was that the drugs treat routinely felt subjective symptoms of discomfort, inducing in an irrational appeal that may affect drug prescription.