| This qualitative study used a triangulation of methodologies—in-depth interviews, focus groups, and observation—to investigate the context and interpretation of direct-to-consumer (DTC) pharmaceutical advertising in the lives of a group of 43 women older than age 65. Study participants were selected because they fit within the parameters of a key target of DTC advertising—older female consumers. The theoretical grounding of this study in a symbolic interactionism perspective helped provide an enhanced understanding of three broad research questions: (1) How do older women use this form of advertising to create and evaluate their sense of personal health? (2) How do older women use group health-related norms in constructing meaning for DTC advertising? (3) How do older women incorporate DTC advertising in their interactions with their physicians? Analysis of the transcribed discourse, augmented by observational data, revealed ten emergent themes grouped into three general areas: personal health issues, social themes related to DTC advertising, and themes related to specific areas of DTC advertising. While women of all ages reported markedly similar agreement in their interpretation of the concept of “good health,” differences emerged between the respective cohorts of younger (65–75) and older (>75) women. Younger women were much more likely than older women both to discuss DTC advertising with referent group members and to discuss an advertised drug with their physician. Women who expressed negative opinions of DTC advertising also showed age-related differences, with the older women reporting disapproval of the entire concept of DTC advertising, claiming that such a request interfered with the traditional patient-physician role. Younger women who disapproved of DTC advertising reported concerns that this form of advertising was making a negative societal impact through the manipulation of increasingly large numbers of people into seeking medications for problems better solved through lifestyle changes. Finally, study participants of all ages reported problems related to difficulty of reading copy because of small copy size. In addition, no participants voluntarily attended to the “brief summary” page of any ad unless directed by the researcher. Implications for these findings for the pharmaceutical industry, advertising agencies, and regulatory bodies are discussed. |
