Risk Perception of Prescription Drugs: Results of a National Survey

Abstract

Understanding drug risk perceptions is a prerequisite for designing better communication materials for patients and the public and, ultimately, for ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical products. The present survey of US residents replicates and extends earlier surveys in Sweden and Canada that were designed to describe the public's perceptions of risk and benefit from the use of various kinds of prescription drugs. The results were quite similar to those found in Sweden and Canada more than a decade ago. Prescription medicines were perceived to be high in benefit and low in risk. The only exceptions were sleeping pills, antidepressants, and diet drugs. Causes of adverse side effects tended to be attributed more to patient sensitivity or actions by the physician than to improper manufacturing, testing, or regulation. Reactions to a drug crisis scenario and the importance of additional information in influencing the reactions are also reported. Specifically, information that a drug had fewer side effects than similar drugs was most influential on respondents' reactions; information that the government was collecting more information was least influential. The present survey also indicated demographic differences in perceptions, with nonwhite respondents demonstrating higher perceptions of risk than whites for most items, as well as higher perceptions of benefit for specific items. Finally, the results enabled characterizations of persons who avoid taking medicines prescribed for their medical conditions: Respondents who completely avoid their medicines tend to be more malleable with respect to information on the benefits and risks of drugs relative to respondents who do not completely avoid their medicines.