Boudewyns Vanessa, Paquin Ryan S, Sullivan Helen W, O'Donoghue Amie C
Center for Communication & Media Impact, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
Center for Communication & Media Impact, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
Patient Educ Couns. 2025 Mar;132:108598. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2024.108598. Epub 2024 Dec 4.
The rise in direct-to-consumer (DTC) ads for cancer drugs, which often have complex indications, raises concerns about consumer misunderstanding. A drug's indication must clearly convey its condition(s) of use, which may include elements such as the approved patient population, second-line treatment status, and whether it is adjunctive or concomitant therapy. The study examines whether the modality used to communicate the drug's indication in DTC television ads affects consumers' recognition, recall, and comprehension.
We conducted two experimental studies testing dual-modality (voiceover and on-screen text) presentations of therapeutic indication information in television ads for non-small cell lung cancer (N = 281) and multiple myeloma (N = 287). In each study, the indication statement for all ads presented the medical condition in dual modality and varied the modality used to present additional elements of the indication (absent, audio-only, text-only, dual-modality). After viewing the ad twice, participants completed a questionnaire that measured indication recognition, recall, and comprehension.
Dual-modality presentations led to improved communication outcomes relative to the control condition without unintended detrimental effects relative to single-modality presentations. Participants exposed to dual-modality presentations were more likely to correctly recognize the full indication statement and the drug's intended use. The dual-modality presentation also improved recall and comprehension of the indication's additional elements in one study, though not consistently across both. No consistent pattern emerged linking specific single modalities to better outcomes. In line with previous research, our results present nuanced outcomes, revealing the superior benefits of dual-modality presentations for some outcomes, but highlighting the influence of moderating factors.
Dual-modality presentations of indication statements may improve individuals' recall, recognition, and comprehension of indication statements and facilitate better consumer understanding.
These results support stakeholders continuing to investigate how indication statement complexity affects consumer understanding and expectations about drug eligibility.
直接面向消费者（DTC）的癌症药物广告日益增多，而这些药物的适应症往往较为复杂，这引发了人们对消费者误解的担忧。药物的适应症必须清楚地传达其使用条件，这可能包括诸如获批的患者群体、二线治疗状态以及它是辅助治疗还是联合治疗等要素。本研究考察在DTC电视广告中用于传达药物适应症的方式是否会影响消费者的识别、回忆和理解能力。
我们进行了两项实验研究，测试非小细胞肺癌（N = 281）和多发性骨髓瘤（N = 287）电视广告中治疗适应症信息的双模态（画外音和屏幕文字）呈现方式。在每项研究中，所有广告的适应症陈述都以双模态呈现疾病状况，并改变用于呈现适应症其他要素的方式（无、仅音频、仅文字、双模态）。在观看广告两遍后，参与者完成一份问卷，该问卷测量适应症识别、回忆和理解能力。
与对照条件相比，双模态呈现方式改善了沟通效果，且相对于单模态呈现方式没有产生意外的有害影响。接触双模态呈现方式的参与者更有可能正确识别完整适应症陈述和药物预期用途。在一项研究中双模态呈现方式还改善了对适应症其他要素的回忆和理解，不过并非在两项研究中都一致如此。没有出现将特定单模态与更好结果联系起来的一致模式。与先前研究一致，我们的结果呈现出细微差别，揭示了双模态呈现在某些结果方面的优越益处，但也突出了调节因素的影响作用。
适应症陈述采用双模态呈现方式可能会提高个体对适应症陈述的回忆、识别和理解能力，并促进消费者更好地理解相关信息。
这些结果支持利益相关者继续研究适应症陈述的复杂性如何影响消费者对药物适用性的理解和期望。
