Table 4.
Public perceptions on pharmaceutical advertisements.
| Questions | Responses |
Chi-square test exact p-values |
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SD (n) % | DA (n) % | N (n) % | A (n) % | SA (n) % | City | Age | Work | Marital status | Education level | Residence location | |
| Promoted drugs are better than non-advertised drugs | 89 (6.2) | 223 (15.6) | 451 (31.6) | 486 (34) | 180 (12.6) | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001⁎ | <0.001⁎ | 0.009 |
| Pharmaceutical advertising encourage patients to decide on their choice of drug without the help of a healthcare professional (physician, pharmacist, etc.) | 186 (13) | 359 (25.1) | 388 (27.1) | 400 (28.0) | 97 (6.8) | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001⁎ | <0.001⁎ | 0.331 |
| Pharmaceutical advertising provide reliable information regarding a particular medicine | 53 (3.7) | 188 (13.2) | 548 (38.5) | 478 (33.6) | 157 (11.0) | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001 | 0.028⁎ | 0.005⁎ | 0.232⁎ |
| Pharmaceutical advertising inform patients of potential side effects | 93 (6.6) | 220 (15.5) | 386 (27.2) | 509 (35.9) | 210 (14.8) | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001 | 0.019⁎ | <0.001⁎ | 0.076 |
| Pharmaceutical promotions better inform patients of their medical problem | 51 (3.6) | 206 (14.5) | 429 (30.1) | 541 (38.0) | 198 (13.9) | <0.001 | 0.002 | <0.001 | <0.001⁎ | 0.002⁎ | 0.332 |
| The quality of a particular product depends on the frequency of the advertising activities | 223 (15.7) | 383 (26.9) | 308 (21.6) | 384 (27) | 125 (8.8) | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001⁎ | <0.001⁎ | 0.137 |
| Pharmaceutical advertising increase drug cost | 39 (2.8) | 130 (9.2) | 479 (33.9) | 549 (38.9) | 216 (15.3) | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001⁎ | <0.001⁎ | 0.366⁎ |
| Advertisements of pharmaceutical drugs help me have better discussions with my doctor about my health | 18 (1.3) | 104 (7.3) | 438 (30.9) | 645 (45.5) | 214 (15.1) | <0.001 | 0.005⁎ | <0.001 | <0.001⁎ | 0.001⁎ | 0.714⁎ |
| I like pharmaceutical advertisements | 57 (4) | 111 (7.9) | 437 (30.9) | 587 (41.5) | 222 (15.7) | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001⁎ | <0.001⁎ | 0.261⁎ |
| Pharmaceutical advertisements help me make better decisions about my health | 72 (5.1) | 162 (11.4) | 472 (33.2) | 537 (37.8) | 179 (12.6) | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001⁎ | <0.001⁎ | 0.770⁎ |
| Pharmaceutical advertisements help make me aware of new drugs | 19 (1.4) | 80 (5.7) | 382 (27.2) | 634 (45.2) | 288 (20.5) | <0.001⁎ | 0.021⁎ | <0.001 | 0.010⁎ | 0.655⁎ | 0.544⁎ |
| I trust the quality of the frequently advertised drugs more than those prescribed by healthcare professionals | 313 (22) | 522 (36.7) | 339 (23.8) | 164 (11.5) | 86 (6) | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001 | 0.010⁎ | 0.001⁎ | 0.776⁎ |
| Advertisements of pharmaceutical drugs do not give enough information about the possible risks and negative effects of using a drug | 70 (4.9) | 116 (8.1) | 380 (26.6) | 49 4 (34.6) | 366 (25.7) | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001⁎ | <0.001⁎ | 0.046⁎ |
| Advertisements of pharmaceutical drugs do not give enough information about the possible benefits and positive effects of using the drug | 38 (2.7) | 155 (10.9) | 385 (27.1) | 551 (38.8) | 290 (20.4) | <0.001 | 0.006⁎ | <0.001 | 0.013⁎ | 0.371⁎ | 0.187⁎ |
| Pharmaceutical advertisements make the drugs look better than their reality | 20 (1.4) | 81 (5.7) | 552 (39) | 483 (34.1) | 281 (19.8.) | <0.001⁎ | <0.001⁎ | <0.001 | <0.001⁎ | <0.001⁎ | 0.135⁎ |
| I support direct to consumer advertising | 40 (2.8) | 216 (15.4) | 533 (37.9) | 501 (35.7) | 115 (8.2) | <0.001 | 0.002 | <0.001 | 0.004⁎ | <0.001⁎ | 0.630⁎ |
| I prefer all drugs to be advertised to the public | 46 (3.2) | 172 (12.1) | 470 (33.2) | 520 (36.7) | 208 (14.7) | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001 | 0.002⁎ | <0.001⁎ | 0.059⁎ |
| I prefer only over the counter drugs to be advertised to the public | 56 (4.0) | 416 (29.4) | 287 (20.3) | 434 (30.7) | 221 (15.6) | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001⁎ | <0.001⁎ | 0.860⁎ |
Note: SD: strongly disagree, DA: disagree, N: neutral, A: agree, SA: strongly agree.
⁎
Fisher Exact test.