Public awareness of aspirin and sources of aspirin information in a rural Iowa community.

One hundren fifty households in a rural Iowa community were surveyed to determine the frequency and reasons for aspirin use, their awareness of aspirin effects, and their sources of aspirin information. Of those surveyed 82 percent used aspirin to some extent and 59 percent used it at least monthly. The frequency of aspirin use was indirectly associated with age. The number of correct aspirin effects mentioned was 1.8 +/- 1.1 with 89 percent mentioning analgesia as an effect of aspirin. Nineteen percent mentioned mental relaxation as an effect of aspirin. The number of correct effects mentioned was associated directly with education and indirectly with age but was not associated with the frequency of aspirin use. The number of information sources mentioned was 1.3 +/- 0.7 with 34 percent mentioning television and radio advertising as a source of aspirin information. Awareness of gastrointestinal irritation and antipyretic effects and the number of correct effects mentioned were each associated with mention of television and radio advertising as an information source. Use of aspirin for fever was associated with mention of physicians as an information source. Seventy-two percent of the respondents indicated a desire for more information with physicians mentioned as the desired source of additional information by 69 percent of respondents.