Consumers' attitudes and behavior toward prescription drug advertising.
OBJECTIVE
To explore how consumers' characteristics interact with direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) to influence 2 behaviors: information seeking and asking for prescription.


METHODS
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.


CONCLUSIONS
DTCA appears to have an influence on consumers' behavior.
Sumpradit
Nithima
N
University of Michigan, Department of Administrative and Social Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Ann Arbor, USA. nithima@umich.edu
Fors
Stuart W
SW
McCormick
Laura
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000329:Advertising / Q000379:methods*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D003625:Data Collection; D003657:Decision Making; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004346:Drug Information Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011639:Public Opinion; D014481:United States