Potential for Stigma Reduction Through Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Advertising: An Exploratory Content Analysis of Television Commercials

Abstract

Some have suggested that advertisements for prescription drugs may contribute to improving the acceptance of stigmatized health conditions. This study explored this notion through a content analysis of direct-to-consumer television commercials for prescription drugs. The inclusion of elements reflective of three stigma reduction methods (education, contact, and perspective-taking) was assessed. Results revealed that ads generally employed communication techniques consistent with perspective-taking and presented information and personal contact examples that disconfirm stereotypes. However, the extreme skew toward recovery images and paucity of information related to prevalence and causal attributions of indicated conditions could limit the potential of stigma reduction through these ads.