Healthy Skepticism Library item: 1930

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

Sumpradit N, Fors SW, McCormick L.
Consumers' attitudes and behavior toward prescription drug advertising.
Am J Health Behav 2002 Jan-Feb; 26:(1):68-75
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=11795607

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To explore how consumers’ characteristics interact with direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) to influence 2 behaviors: information seeking and asking for prescription. METHOD: A secondary data analysis was conducted using a subset of 1,102 consumers who responded to a 1998 national survey conducted by Prevention magazine. RESULTS: Being afflicted with chronic conditions and having positive attitudes toward DTCA were associated with the consumers’ willingness to talk with doctors about the advertised drugs. Consumers who asked for prescriptions tended to agree that DTCA made prescription drugs appear harmless and helped them make their own decision. CONCLUSION: DTCA appears to have an influence on consumers’ behavior.

Keywords:
Adolescent Adult Advertising/methods* Attitude to Health* Chronic Disease/drug therapy Chronic Disease/psychology Comparative Study Data Collection Decision Making Drug Industry/organization & administration* Drug Information Services Female Humans Interviews Male Middle Aged Patient Participation/psychology* Patient Participation/statistics & numerical data Public Opinion* United States