title: Visual presentations of efficacy data in direct-to-consumer prescription drug print and television advertisements: A randomized study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether visual aids help people recall quantitative efficacy information in direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription drug advertisements, and if so, which types of visual aids are most helpful.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individuals diagnosed with high cholesterol (n=2504) were randomized to view a fictional DTC print or television advertisement with no visual aid or one of four visual aids (pie chart, bar chart, table, or pictograph) depicting drug efficacy. We measured drug efficacy and risk recall, drug perceptions and attitudes, and behavioral intentions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For print advertisements, a bar chart or table, compared with no visual aid, elicited more accurate drug efficacy recall. The bar chart was better at this than the pictograph and the table was better than the pie chart. For television advertisements, any visual aid, compared with no visual aid, elicited more accurate drug efficacy recall. The bar chart was better at this than the pictograph or the table.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Visual aids depicting quantitative efficacy information in DTC print and television advertisements increased drug efficacy recall, which may help people make informed decisions about prescription drugs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adding visual aids to DTC advertising may increase the public's knowledge of how well prescription drugs work.
authors.affiliation: U.S Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United States. Electronic address: Helen.Sullivan@fda.hhs.gov.
authors.forename: Helen W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.affiliation: U.S Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United States.
authors.forename: Amie C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: O'Donoghue
authors.affiliation: U.S Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United States.
authors.forename: Kathryn J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Aikin
authors.affiliation: RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States.
authors.forename: Dhuly
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.affiliation: RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States.
authors.forename: Rebecca R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Moultrie
authors.affiliation: RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States.
authors.forename: Douglas J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Rupert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001296:Audiovisual Aids; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D054626:Consumer Health Information / Q000379:methods*; D000067088:Direct-to-Consumer Advertising / Q000379:methods*; D004345:Drug Industry; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013690:Television
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D055553:Prescription Drugs
keywords: Communication; Direct-to-consumer advertising; Quantitative information