Kendall Paluch

Abstract:

A substantial distributor of health information within the United States is Direct-to-Consumer Advertising (DTCA) of pharmaceutical drugs to the general public. DTCA encourages lay people to pursue treatment options found within pharmaceutical drugs. Little information is available on the effect of direct-to-consumer advertising on patients and their overall health status when seeking treatment options. There remains a scarcity of research on differences and possible health disparities perpetuated by this advertising on racial and ethnic populations. Existing literature within this category of advertising has utilized questionnaires and brief telephone interviews for the retrieval of information which has hindered substantial personal responses. Comprehensive patient interviews were conducted to bridge a gap in knowledge on the response to DTCA by racial and ethnic populations. Our findings, supported by previous literature [1], suggest that the different experiences of racial and ethnic minorities in the healthcare industry cause a more critical view of pharmaceuticals. This portrays a shift away from automatic trust in big pharma by placing a skeptical lens on their marketing employments.