Direct-to-consumer marketing of osteoporosis drugs and bone densitometry.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether there is an association between a woman's exposure to direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertisements for 2 osteoporosis drugs and presentation for bone densitometry.

METHODS

A matched case-control study was conducted between October and December 1998 at an academic primary care clinic in Seattle, WA. Seventeen women from the study population (aged >/=18 y, seen in the previous 2 y at the academic primary care clinic) presented for bone densitometry. All 51 women completed a self-administered questionnaire.

RESULTS

Women familiar with 1 of 2 osteoporosis drugs due to exposure to advertisements had 9 times the odds of densitometry (unadjusted OR 9.3, 95% CI 1.0 to 86). Multivariate analysis, including confounders such as education level and whether a woman had previously had 3 screening tests (mammography, Pap smear, serum cholesterol), revealed a significant and strong association between exposure to advertisements and densitometry (adjusted OR 29, 95% CI 1.6 to 511).

CONCLUSIONS

DTC marketing may increase health services utilization. Further independent evaluation of DTC marketing based on available observational evidence is feasible and warranted.