Effects of information on college students' perceptions of antidepressant medication.
The authors examined the impact of pharmaceutical companies' advertisements on college students' perceptions of depression and concomitant treatment with antidepressants among 13 male and 31 female undergraduates from a midwestern university. The students were randomly assigned to groups that read either pharmaceutical company advertisements or scientific information about depression and its treatment. The analysis revealed that 40% of the women in the advertisement condition as opposed to 1 woman (6%) in the scientific condition rated themselves as having mild, moderate, or severe depression on the Beck Depression Inventory, second edition. Women in the advertisement condition were significantly more likely to believe that depression required treatment with antidepressant medication and were more willing than women in the scientific condition to suggest antidepressant treatment to others.
Frankenberger
Kristi A
KA
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, USA.
Frankenberger
William R
WR
Peden
Blaine F
BF
Hunt
Heather L
HL
Raschick
Christopher M
CM
Steller
Emily G
EG
Peterson
Jaclyn A
JA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities
D000928:Antidepressive Agents