Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy
Volume 1, Issue 2 , Pages 231-250, June 2005

Distinguishing characteristics of patients who seek more information or request a prescription in response to direct-to-consumer advertisements☆☆

  • Jon C. Schommer, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • University of Minnesota, College of Pharmacy, 308 Harvard Street, SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
    • Tel.: +1 612 626 9915; fax: +1 612 625 9931.
    • ,
  • Reshmi L. Singh, M.S.

      Affiliations

    • University of Minnesota, College of Pharmacy, 308 Harvard Street, SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
    • ,
  • Richard A. Hansen, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • University of North Carolina, School of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmaceutical Policy & Evaluative Sciences, Campus Box 7360, Room 205M, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7360, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +1 919 966 7517; fax: +1 919 966 8486.

Abstract 

Objective

The objective of this study was to examine demographic and psychographic profiles of individuals who sought additional information or requested a prescription drug based on a direct-to-consumer advertisement.

Methods

A cross-sectional descriptive survey was used for collecting data from a random sample of 200 Minnesotans during Fall 2002. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests were used as nonparametric tests for assessing differences in distributions between our categories of study subjects.

Results

Out of 177 deliverable surveys, 81 (46%) were returned. Of these, 80 surveys were usable for analysis. The results showed that the distinguishing characteristics of individuals who sought additional information based on an advertisement were associated with demographic variables such as number of drugs taken daily and monthly out-of-pocket expenditures for prescription drugs. In contrast, distinguishing characteristics of individuals who requested prescription drugs (in addition to seeking information) based on an advertisement were psychographic in nature such as (1) viewing themselves as having greater influence on their physician, (2) having a stronger relationship with their physician, (3) expressing greater satisfaction with their current therapy, (4) viewing prescriptions as less of a burden, and (5) having higher outcome expectations for prescription drugs compared to the respondents who did not ask for a prescription drug based on a direct-to-consumer advertisement.

Conclusions

Distinguishing characteristics of information seekers were demographic in nature, whereas those characteristics of prescription requesters were psychographic in nature.

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☆ Funding for this study was provided through unrestricted research funding provided by the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy.Earlier versions of this article were presented at the American Pharmaceutical Association Annual Meeting Academy of Pharmaceutical Research and Science, New Orleans, La, March 31, 2003, and at the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah, October 27, 2003.

PII: S1551-7411(05)00041-0

doi:10.1016/j.sapharm.2005.03.009

Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy
Volume 1, Issue 2 , Pages 231-250, June 2005

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