Abstract
This study examined the extent to which exposure to direct-to-consumer (DTC) antidepressant ads is associated with young adults' understanding of depression as a medical condition. A vignette-based questionnaire was presented to 285 college students. Among those who had not experienced depressive symptoms, high exposure to a DTC antidepressant commercial was significantly associated with recognition of depression cases and listing antidepressants as a treatment option. As their exposure to the DTC ad increased, respondents also demonstrated a more positive evaluation of antidepressant treatment. Such effects were not found, however, for those who had experienced depressive symptoms.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 259-278 |
Number of pages | 20 |
Journal | Health Marketing Quarterly |
Volume | 26 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 2009 |
Keywords
- Antidepressants
- Depression
- Direct-to-consumer advertising
- Young adults