Jan. 23, 2008 

New NYIT/Gallup & Robinson Research Reveals Young Americans Are More Stressed Than Ever and Receptive to Pharmaceutical Advertising

New York, N.Y., Jan. 23, 2008: The pressures and challenges of family and society have today’s new generation of young adults feeling more stressed out than ever, according to new research conducted by New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) and Gallup & Robinson, Inc.

Critical Findings: Americans Ages 18-26 · 51% cite stress as their greatest health concern · 6 in 10 claim to have periodic medical exams · 1 in 4 recall seeing at least one pharmaceutical ad on the previous day · 34% agree with the statement "I trust pharmaceutical companies less than I used to" compared to 16% who disagree. The "Research into Perceptions of Pharmaceutical Advertising among Young Adults" study found that young adults are concerned about health care issues, have a strong interest in health information, and are receptive to pharmaceutical direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising. Panelists were administered a survey questionnaire via the Web and responded to it interactively. A total of 1,028 interviews were completed. The research provides a snapshot of the concerns of an American demographic that has intrigued advertisers and corporations for years.

The Partnership
The study is the result of a new partnership between NYIT and research giant Gallup & Robinson, Inc. who collaboratively established The NYIT Young Adult Research Institute, a center devoted to the study of the awareness, perception, attitudes, and behavior of young adults on various topics. NYIT President Dr. Edward Guiliano welcomed the collaboration saying, "NYIT and Gallup & Robinson will make dynamic research partners as NYIT continues to increase its global reach into China and the Middle East. I look forward to learning more about the perspective of young people around the world."

Stress
The comprehensive study shows that in the United States, young adults between the ages of 18 and 26 have seemingly traded in their carefree days, full of leisure time and recreation, for a more stress filled life. When asked to identify their greatest concern among 18 health-related areas, more than half of those surveyed—51 percent—cited stress, followed closely by issues that relate to their parents’ health—50 percent.

"It is noteworthy that the research reveals that stress is the No. 1 health concern among this age group," says Wolfgang Gilliar, D.O., a physiatrist and professor at New York College of Osteopathic Medicine of NYIT. "While stress affects everyone differently, it can lead to problems such as insomnia, irritability, depression, alcoholism, or drug abuse, and in the long-term, may be associated with such serious conditions as obesity, heart disease, or stroke."

The analysis found a considerable disparity between men and women surveyed on their interest in specific health areas. For women, worries about stress—57 percent—scored higher than those for nutrition (47 percent) or cancer treatments (30 percent). Forty-eight percent of men indicate they worry most about their parents’ health. Women express more interest in topics associated with depression, allergies, and weight loss, while men report more concern about heart conditions, stroke, and products to protect against or treat sexually transmitted diseases.

Perceptions and Practices
According to the data, many young adults consider themselves healthy, especially men. More than half of those interviewed—58 percent—consider themselves very healthy most of the time, with sixty-nine percent of men feeling "hale and hearty." Women surveyed were less likely to describe themselves as healthy and are taking more prescription medications than their male counterparts.

Most young adults visit a physician at least once a year, although the frequency of visits is significantly higher among women and those with insurance. Six in 10 respondents claimed to have a doctor who gives them periodic exams, but women enrolled in college or graduate school are more likely to have a regular physician.

Seventy-six percent of men and women who do not have health insurance are not taking prescription medications, compared to 55 percent who have insurance.

Seeking More Information and Responding to Pharmaceutical Advertising
The "Research into Perceptions of Pharmaceutical Advertising among Young Adults" study found that young adults are concerned about health care issues, have a strong interest in health information, and are receptive to pharmaceutical direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising.

Researchers also explored how perceptive and responsive this age group is toward DTC pharmaceutical advertising. Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved DTC advertising a decade ago, spending has grown from more than $1 billion in 1997 to $4.8 billion in 2006. Television is the most widely used medium for DTC advertising, representing $2.8 billion of the total. The study reveals that young adults are known to remember advertising for brands that have high media spending. "We were particularly surprised at how attentive and receptive young adults are to DTC advertising for health care products, a category that traditionally targets seniors," says Paul Murphy, director of marketing at Gallup & Robinson, Inc.

One in four survey participants recalled seeing at least one DTC advertisement the previous day. When asked to choose among nine mediums, they identified television (81 percent) as their No. 1 source for prescription medication advertisements, followed by the Internet (56 percent), and radio and magazines (23 percent). The findings show young adults are more likely to seek additional information about health care or medical products when they see them advertised, although women report having a greater active response to advertising exposure than men.

The data also indicate that young adults 18 to 26 have a growing interest in managing their health care. More than half of the group surveyed indicates that they would be very likely to seek information about a medical condition that they or someone they know might have. Based on top 3-point ratings on a 10-point scale, women (62 percent) indicated a higher likelihood of seeking information than men (45 percent).

Panelists were asked to identify where they customarily seek information about medical conditions among 19 sources. Seventy percent of respondents named their regular doctor as their primary source, followed by health care Web sites (58 percent). Respondents also cite their regular doctor as the most reliable source of information about medical conditions or medications by an overwhelming majority, 66 percent, compared with 11 percent for health care Web sites.

Results show that women almost equally seek information from their regular doctors (73 percent) and health care Web sites (72 percent), well ahead of asking a parent or friend. In general, women are more likely to access many of the information sources than men.

Adding to the Discussion
This study helps to elucidate the ongoing debate about the benefits and potential dangers of DTC pharmaceutical advertising. "The findings from this study underscore the power of direct to consumer advertising: young people are skeptical, but they still pay attention. If direct to consumer advertising were a drug, it would have a hard time getting FDA approval. Consumers should remain cautious." Said Dr. Richard Kravitz author of, "Influence of Patients’ Requests for Direct-to-Consumer Advertised Antidepressants."

Critical Findings: Americans Ages 18-26

· 51% cite stress as their greatest health concern

· 6 in 10 claim to have periodic medical exams

· 1 in 4 recall seeing at least one pharmaceutical ad on the previous day

· 34% agree with the statement "I trust pharmaceutical companies less than I used to" compared to 16% who disagree.

About NYIT
NYIT is the college of choice for more than 15,000 students enrolled in more than 100 specialized courses of study leading to undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees in academic areas such as architecture and design; arts and sciences; education; engineering and computing sciences; health professions, behavioral, and life sciences; management; and osteopathic medicine. As a private, nonprofit, independent institution of higher learning, NYIT embraces an educational philosophy of career-oriented professional education for all qualified students and supports applications-oriented research to benefit the greater global community. Students attend classes at NYIT’s campuses in Manhattan and Long Island, as well as online and in a number of programs throughout the world. To date, more than 73,000 alumni have earned degrees at NYIT. For more information, visit www.nyit.edu

About Gallup & Robinson, Inc.
Gallup & Robinson, Inc. is an advertising and marketing research company based in Pennington, N.J., dedicated to providing superior communications research through innovation, experience and a tradition of superior client service. For more than 50 years it has helped leading advertisers understand the effectiveness of their advertising and improve its contribution to their business. Founded by Drs. George Gallup and Claude Robinson, both pioneers in public opinion survey methods, G&R has originated many of the research designs now considered standard in the industry. For more information, visit www.gallup-robinson.com.

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