Student Pharmacists’ Attitudes Regarding Direct-To-Consumer Advertising (DTCA)

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to expand the current knowledge regarding opinions about the consequences of DTCA, specifically in terms of their implications for pharmacy practice. We evaluated this by examining student pharmacist attitudes toward DTCA and their perception of its practical ramifications as they progressed through pharmacy coursework. We also compared attitudes of student pharmacists’ with those of practicing pharmacists’ as previously published. METHODS: Students at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, enrolled in their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year of coursework, completed a questionnaire with 16 Likert-scale items soliciting levels of agreement with statements regarding DTCA. Two direct questions about overall support for DTCA and experience with patient questions regarding DTCA were included. Demographic data was also collected. RESULTS: No difference was found between groups of students with respect to attitudinal statements regarding DTCA when analyzed by ANOVA (p>0.05). Similar results were found for overall support for DTCA as analyzed by Chi-square (p>0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in overall support for DTCA between students and pharmacists when assessed by Chi-square (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacists are more likely to not support DTCA, whereas student pharmacists are more likely to be uncertain of whether or not they support it. An obvious difference between these groups is practice experience, which probably increases exposure to DTCA. Though it is difficult to discern the cause of this difference in opinion, it may suggest a link between experience and attitudes toward advertising policy.