ABSTRACT
The present research explored several hazard/risk communication issues in directto-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs. In a one-on-one approach interview, 2773 participants were asked: (a) whether DTC adve1iisements were encountered in the past thi1iy days, (b) what media was used to communicate the DTC advertisements, and (c) whether participants engaged in a number of associated behaviors as a result of their exposure to DTC advertisements. A large percentage of participants (85.4%) repmied encountering DTC ads during the last thirty days, most commonly via television, magazines, and the internet. Examination of health-related behaviors associated with DTC exposure
demonstrated the multidimensional impact of the advertisements. Participants felt comfortable asking a physician about a symptom or drug they had seen in a DTC ad during regular doctor visit; however, 20% felt too rushed to do so. More than twenty-one percent of participants attributed exposure to DTC ads as a reason for scheduling appointments with their doctors in the first place. Unfortunately, a significant percentage (17.7%) also indicated that they were more likely to borrow a prescription medication from a friend if they had seen a DTC ad. Human factors/ergonomics professionals can play an important role in further understanding, and addressing, how DTC advertisements affect primary and secondary health-related consumer behaviors.
