Then and Now: Examining How Consumer Communication and Attitudes of Direct-to-Consumer Pharmaceutical Advertising Have Changed in the Last Decade

Abstract

This study examines changes over a 10-year period in consumer reports of communication with health care providers about direct-to-consumer advertised (DTCA) medications. Two rounds of survey data were collected in 2003 and 2012 using repeated cross-sectional procedures to examine consumer willingness to discuss DTCA medications, content and tone of those conversations, and attitudes about the advertisements. In total, 472 surveys were analyzed. Generally, we found physician-patient conversations, attitudes, and behaviors regarding DTCA have changed. Consumers in 2012 reported talking significantly less about the names of the advertised drug, comparing the advertised drug with their current medication, and sharing general information than consumers in 2003. Attitudes toward the advertisements were significantly more negative in 2012 compared to 2003. Of those who specifically asked for a prescription, the proportion of patients who received the prescription was significantly lower in 2012, despite research suggesting increased rates of prescriptions. These results are interpreted in light of previous research about the lack of research examining the actual communication between physicians and patients on this topic. Limitations of the study are provided along with directions for future research about DTCA and physician-patient communication.

Changes in Consumers’ Food Purchase and Transport Behaviors over a Decade (2010 to 2019) Following Health and Convenience Food Trends

“…This trend survey provides practical information regarding determinant factors for risky behaviors during food purchase/transport: consumer preferences for purchase/transport methods, time required for purchasing/transporting food products, and risk perceptions. Based on the findings from the cross-sectional survey study (survey 1 conducted in 2010) highlighting the inappropriate perceptions/behaviors of food consumers corresponding to the food quality/safety issues, this longitudinal survey on a decade basis generally adopted by the trend study [27] was designed to establish the management strategies on ensuring the consumer food quality/safety by the clarification of whether those perceptions/behaviors are improved or not. A risky behavior reported in both surveys 1 (2010) and 2 (2019) was purchasing food in an improper order.…”

“…[22][23][24][25][26], have affected not only the consumers' preferences for food purchase channels, but also their behaviors on food purchase/transport. Thus, we also expected that unchanged and/or emerging risky behaviors could be identified by the comparative analysis of two individual nation-wide surveys with same questionnaires over a decade [27]. We chose the longitudinal trend research approach for the analysis of distinct behavior changes.…”

Animation and Consumer Perceptions of DTC Pharmaceutical Advertisement

“…From a managerial viewpoint, animation provides positive gains when used alongside the presentation of risks, and this finding suggests that animation may pose a unique opportunity to boost drug evaluation among consumers. As the use of DTC pharmaceutical advertising continues to expand, consumers have expressed decidedly more negative attitudes toward drug commercials than they did back in the early 2000s (Wood and Cronley ). Consumers evince strong sentiments of fear and contempt for attempts to manipulate their decision making, especially when those attempts play upon health‐related anxieties.…”

Managing your private personal summer

“…Most women did not feel the models in the HRT ads were of an age to be experiencing menopause and most models didn't reflect the participants' experience of menopause. However, the ads did offer some positives-some women did learn about menopause treatments from them as other research has shown (Poe, 2012) and some said they would use the information they read to initiate a conversation with their health care provider similar to findings from Wood and Cronley's (2014) study.…”

“…The growth in this type of advertising has changed the relationship between patients and health care providers. It encourages people to talk with their doctor (Poe, 2012;Wood & Cronley, 2014) and proponents of DTC ads claim the ads are a valuable source of information to help consumers manage their health care (Mackert & Love, 2011). On the other hand, it is important to understand that information in these ads comes from commercial entities that want to earn a profit selling medications (Mackert & Love, 2011) and they can also unduly influence patient-doctor relationships if patients pressure their doctor to prescribe a medication that might not be right for them (Poe, 2012).…”