An Empirical Analysis of Consumers' Attitudes toward Physicians' Services Advertising: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to investigate current attitudes and opinions of physicians' advertising and to compare them to the attitudes expressed 20 years ago. This study was designed to determine (a) consumers' attitudes toward advertising by physicians and (b) whether age, occupation, income, education, and/or sex of consumers accounted for any significant difference in attitudes toward physicians who advertise. This study investigates possible changes in attitudes of consumers toward physicians advertising over a 20-year period. It replicates a survey done in 1986 and uses the same questionnaire and the same population to compare responses longitudinally. The study seems to confirm the belief of many marketing professionals that advertising and marketing clearly have a place in the management and operation of professional services. Although the present image of physicians is positive, most of the 2006 respondents' opinions were rather mixed as to whether it is proper for physicians to advertise. The study also confirmed that quality of service and the reputation of physicians were more important to consumers in both 1986 and 2006 than the price.