Understanding Audience Response to a Prescription Drug Disposal Campaign: A Causal Mediation Analysis of Effect Pathways

• In Event: Formative, Process, and Outcome Evaluation Research for Health Communication Campaigns

Abstract

This study analyzes public response to a drug take-back program in a Northeastern state over a period of three years (2013-2015). The study utilized a three-wave repeated cross-sectional design and an annual phone survey conducted with a representative sample of adults (N = 906 in 2013, N = 907 in 2014, and N = 906 in 2015) which assessed exposure to the campaign, drug disposal behaviors, possible mediators of campaign effects (risk appraisal, personal agency, normative influence, and interpersonal talk), and potential confounders. Logistic regression and causal mediation analysis were employed to estimate confounder-adjusted direct and mediated effects of the campaign. Results showed that the campaign reached a sizable portion (50-60%) of state adults and that campaign exposure was associated with increased likelihood of having conversations with others about this topic. About 55% of all adults in the state reported taking at least one of the actions recommended by the campaign, and campaign exposure was associated with increased likelihood of disposing of prescription drugs at a collection day event (adjusted OR = 4) and of talking to a child about the risks associated with prescription drug abuse (adjusted OR = 2). The causal mediation analysis demonstrated that the campaign influenced audiences by reinforcing their efficacy to safely dispose of prescription drugs, but also potentially by stimulating conversations among community members about this topic.

Author

• Itzhak Yanovitzky, Rutgers U