HIV Insight: Impact of Advertising on Tampon Wear-Time Practices

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether advertising nighttime tampon use for up to eight hours was understood to be consistent with label recommendations and (2) to determine whether television and print advertising with this message affected tampon wear times in adults and teens.

METHODS

A comprehension study (online advertising and follow-up questionnaire) among women aged 14–49 years (300 per group) who viewed either the test or a control advertising message; (2) Diary-based surveys of tampon wear times performed prior to (n = 292 adults, 18–49 years, 74 teens, 12–17 years) and after (n = 287 adults, 104 teens) the launch of national advertising.

RESULTS

Significantly more test message viewers than controls stated tampons should be worn less than or equal to eight hours (93.6% vs. 88.6%, respectively, P = 0.049). A directionally higher percentage of test message viewers said they would use a pad if sleeping longer than eight hours (52% vs. 42% of controls). Among the women who used tampons longer than eight hours when sleeping, 52% reported they would wake up and change compared with 45% of controls. No significant difference between baseline and follow-up diary surveys was found among teens or adults in various measures of tampon wear time (mean wear times; usage intervals from less than two hours to more than 10 hours; percentage of tampons used for more than or equal to eight hours; frequency of wearing at least one tampon more than eight hours).

CONCLUSIONS

Advertising nighttime tampon wear for up to eight hours effectively communicated label recommendations but did not alter tampon wear times. The informational intervention had limited impact on established habits.

Below: Typical inquiries about tampon wear times and overnight tampon use

Below: Advertising comprehension study comparing two messages. (A) Wear-time message: Protection for up to 8 hours, even at night (test). (B) Product performance message: Fluid absorbency and leakage protection (control)

Below: Tampon absorbency choices from diary surveys conducted prior to and after the launch of advertising with a message that tampons can be used at night for up to eight hours