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 greater than or equal to18 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.