Factors Affecting Consumers' Responses to Direct-to-Consumer Advertising.

Abstract

Pharmaceutical companies utilize Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) advertising to generate consumer discussions with physicians and increase prescriptions. The dissertation seeks to answer a question not fully addressed in the literature: which consumers respond to DTC by intending to discuss the message with their doctor and why? Five hundred and twenty four respondents between the ages of thirty and fifty-five provided information about their opinion of DTC advertising, previous DTC-initiated discussion experience, personality characteristics, and health behaviors as well as information related to elevated cholesterol, treatment strategies, and level of concern. The investigator evaluated nine hypotheses including that intent to discuss DTC messages with physicians would be significantly higher in individuals for whom the medical condition is highly self-relevant and whose regulatory focus is promotion, compared to those whose regulatory focus is prevention, with this difference most apparent when benefits and risks were both perceived as high. Other evaluated factors include impact on discussion intent of consumers’ proactivity in addressing their health, relationships with health professionals, and personality characteristics. Self-relevance was measured as the level of concern regarding respondent’s personal cholesterol level. Regulatory focus of respondents was determined using the eleven-item Regulatory Focus Questionnaire, and a health-specific question. Respondents were randomly assigned in a 2 (high or low self-relevance) x 2 (promotion or prevention) x 2 (message A or B) design to view a non-product written message with either promotion or prevention framing and one of two product-specific television advertisements. Intent to discuss messages and ads was measured on a 5-point scale from very low to very high. Results indicate that high self-relevance is associated with higher discussion intent. Promotion-focused consumers are more responsive to benefit messages and tolerant of product risks. Prevention-focused consumers have lower discussion intent due to greater sensitivity to drug risks. Discussions are more likely when consumers take a proactive approach to health and have trusting physician and pharmacist relationships. Previous discussion experience predisposes one to future discussions. Personality characteristics are of limited significance with regard to discussion intent. The results raise questions regarding the current FDA requirements for communication of risk information. Future research opportunities are identified.