Background: Brazil is currently debating the implementation of front-of-package labels. This study tested if Warning labels (WLs) improved consumer understanding, perceptions, and purchase intentions compared to Traffic-Light labels (TLLs) in 1607 Brazilian adults. Methods: In this online, randomized controlled experiment participants saw images of 10 products and answered questions twice—once in a no-label, control condition and then again in a randomly assigned label condition. The relative differences in responses between WLs and TLLs between control and label conditions were estimated using one-way ANOVAs or Chi-square tests. Results: Presenting WLs on products compared to TLLs helped participants: (i) improve their understanding of excess nutrient content (27.0% versus 8.2%, p < 0.001); (ii) improve their ability to identify the healthier product (24.6% versus 3.3%, p < 0.001); (iii) decrease perceptions of product healthfulness; and (iv) correctly identify healthier products (14.0% versus 6.9%, p < 0.001), relative to the control condition. With WLs, there was also an increase in the percentage of people: (v) expressing an intention to purchase the relatively healthier option (16.1% versus 9.8%, p < 0.001); and (vi) choosing not to buy either product (13.0% versus 2.9%, p < 0.001), relative to the control condition. The participants in the WL condition had significantly more favorable opinions of the labels compared to those in the TLL group. Conclusions: WLs would be more effective, compared to the TLL, at improving consumer food choices.
The use of pictograms is discussed considering their information content, graphic complexity and cultural dimension. The resemblance and the illusion theories are highlighted to define pictogram as a salience-based representation system, which communicational efficacy depends upon historical and cultural aspects in their interpretation. Thus, the competence in interpreting pictograms is considered relative to users' acquaintance with the pictorial system and with the referents. Pictogram as a general/neutral visual statement is questioned, pointing out the cultural and gender attributes added to pictures to represent people, professions and social events. As a result of this discussion, some critical points of the standardization of pictograms are presented.
This study aimed to assess consumers’ uses of and opinions on the current Brazilian food label and their reaction to the introduction of a front-of-package warning label. We conducted 12 focus groups among a diverse sample of adult consumers, to broadly assess: (1) uses of and perceptions about the current food label, and (2) opinions about implementing a front-of-package warning label to guide food purchases. Data was analyzed with a triangulation of researchers using an exploratory content analysis, which allowed codes to emerge from the data. The frequency of codes across focus groups was compared by gender and socioeconomic status to explore differences by these sociodemographic factors. Codes were divided into six main themes: (1) “Reasons for using food labels”; (2) “Barriers to using food labels”; (3) “Requirements for a new label”; (4) “Perceived influence on consumption behaviors”; (5) “Perceived influence on child behaviors”; and (6) “Perceptions of the food manufacturers using of warning labels”. Participants used food labels to check nutrient content and ingredient information but the format of these labels and the technicality of the content displayed often made the information inaccessible, particularly for those with low socioeconomic status. Most participants were supportive of the display of front-of-package warning labels on products and considered them useful to inform purchases. Women believed that they and their children would reduce the consumption of foods with front-of-package warning labels, while men reported more polarity in their intentions. For men and their children, front-of-package warning labels would result in either stopping food intake entirely or continued consumption without changes to the amount. The study results highlight the potential of front-of-package warning labels to support healthier behaviors in both consumers and their children.
This paper presents the results of an exploratory study into the influence of picture content and verbal language reading directions on reading procedural pictorial sequences. A sequence of four pictures representing the procedure hrow away after use as tested in four graphic configurations (one-line horizontal, one-line vertical, two-line horizontal and rhomboid), which were designed to be read in specific directions. The same configurations were also presented with the pictures removed to explore the effect of content on reading sequences. The results confirmed that verbal language reading directions are generally used to follow pictorial sequences. However, when the graphic configurations used to represent sequences are unfamiliar and the starting point of the sequence is not clear in the configuration, pictorial content influences the reading direction.
RESUMO:O uso racional de medicamentos vem sendo discutido ao longo dos anos com a fi nalidade de proteger a saúde da população contra o uso indiscriminado e inadequado desses produtos. Nesse contexto, as bulas representam a principal fonte de informação dos pacientes sobre os medicamentos. Em 2003, a Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária publicou a resolução RDC nº 140, que, dentre outras inovações, cria uma bula específi ca para os pacientes, cujo texto deve apresentar um maior tamanho de letra e ser de fácil compreensão. Em 2009, a RDC nº 47 trouxe novas regras para aperfeiçoar aspectos mais críticos para o entendimento textual. Nesse trabalho, uma pesquisa foi realizada em Curitiba, Paraná, com voluntários abordados em farmácias comerciais e postos de saúde após a aquisição de um ou mais medicamentos, com o objetivo de avaliar itens como o hábito de ler bulas e as difi culdades encontradas nessa tarefa. Mais de 80% dos entrevistados lêem bulas e dentre as principais difi culdades relatam-se, primeiramente, a linguagem de difícil entendimento e, em segundo, o tamanho pequeno das letras que inviabilizam a leitura e compreensão do texto. Dentre os itens mais lidos estão os efeitos adversos, as indicações e posologia. Avaliando os resultados, concluiu-se que as difi culdades encontradas para sua leitura permanecem as mesmas que em anos anteriores à publicação da RDC nº 140. Entretanto, espera-se com a RDC nº 47 que essas falhas possam ser sanadas, pois são defi nidas nessa resolução especialmente regras para que a apresentação textual das informações seja mais clara e precisa possível para garantir o uso do medicamento da forma correta e segura. Palavras-chave: Bulas, Legislação, Medicamentos ABSTRACT:The rational use of drugs has been discussed over the years in order to protect people's health against the indiscriminate and inappropriate use of these products. In this context, the package inserts represent the main source of information for patients with regards to drugs. In 2003 the National Sanitary Surveillance Agency published the resolution nº 140, which, among other innovations, creates a specifi c package inserts for patients, whose text should display a larger font and be easy to understand. In 2009 the resolution nº 47 has brought new rules to improve the most critical topics for understanding text. A research conducted in Curitiba, Paraná, was carried out with volunteers in commercial pharmacies and health clinics after purchase one or more drugs, with the aim of evaluating items such as the habit of reading package inserts and the diffi culties encountered in this task. Over 80% of the volunteers reads package inserts and among the main problems reported are: fi rst, the language diffi cult to understand and, second, the small size of the letters that prevents the reading and understanding of the text. Adverse effects, indications and dosage are the items most frequently readed. Evaluating the results, it was concluded that the diffi culties encountered in reading remain the same as in years prior...
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