Healthy Skepticism Library item: 4569

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

Mouchawar J, Laurion S, Ritzwoller DP, Ellis J, Kulchak-Rahm A, Hensley-Alford S.
Assessing controversial direct-to-consumer advertising for hereditary breast cancer testing: reactions from women and their physicians in a managed care organization.
Am J Manag Care 2005 Oct; 11:(10):601-8
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16232001

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To describe the impact on patients and physicians at a managed care organization (MCO) of a direct-to-consumer advertising (DTC-ad) campaign concerning testing for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. STUDY DESIGN: Observational study. METHODS: In 2003, we mailed a 30-item questionnaire to 750 randomly chosen female members of Kaiser Permanente Colorado (KPCO) aged 25 to 54 years, and 100 female KPCO members with a history of breast cancer genetic referral. We mailed a 7-item questionnaire to 180 randomly chosen KPCO primary care providers. RESULTS: Of 394 patient respondents, 245 (62%) reported exposure to the DTC-ad of whom 63% reported that the DTC-ad caused no anxiety at all. A high level of perceived breast cancer risk and being of Hispanic ethnicity each were independently associated with reported anxiety due to the DTC-ad (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 3.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.35, 7.73, and adjusted OR = 4.19, 95% CI = 1.48, 11.83, respectively). Greater knowledge was seen among respondents exposed to the DTC-ad than among those reporting no exposure (P = .015). Of the physician respondents, 84% reported that the DTC-ad caused no strain on the doctor-patient relationship, and nearly 80% reported no effect on daily clinical practice. Genetic referrals soared more than 200% compared with the prior year, when there was no advertising. CONCLUSION: The DTC-ad had a marked impact on genetic services, but little apparent negative impact on patients or primary care providers at an MCO.

Keywords:
Adult Advertising* Breast Neoplasms/diagnosis* Breast Neoplasms/genetics Colorado Female Genes, BRCA1 Genes, BRCA2 Genetic Predisposition to Disease Genetic Screening* Humans Managed Care Programs* Middle Aged Physicians/psychology* Questionnaires Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't