4Corners4Health: social media cancer prevention for rural young adults
Official title: #4Corners4Health: A Social Media Cancer Prevention Program for Rural Emerging Adults
Funded at Klein Buendel, INC. · NIH-11170508 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses social media and online tools to help rural young adults (ages 18–26) adopt healthier habits that lower cancer risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Klein Buendel, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lakewood, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 8, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $2,109,982 |
| NIH project number | 4R01CA268037-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11170508 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are rural residents aged 18–26 who use social media and want to improve lifestyle habits that affect cancer risk.
✕Less likely to help
People outside the 18–26 age range, those not living in rural counties in the study region, or those without reliable internet access may not benefit from the program.
What this research studies
You would join an online health education effort created with community advisors that uses social media posts, user-generated content, and expert tips to promote healthier behaviors. The program focuses on physical activity, better eating, avoiding tobacco and excess alcohol, sun protection, and HPV prevention for people aged 18–26. Researchers will develop the materials with local community input and deliver them through platforms popular with emerging adults, then track changes in behaviors over time. Because it's online and designed to be low-cost and shareable, it aims to reach many rural young adults who may lack local prevention resources.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help rural young adults reduce behaviors that increase long-term cancer risk.
How similar studies have gone: Previous online and social-media health interventions have shown modest improvements in behaviors, though combining community-generated content with theory-based messaging is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Klein Buendel, INC.
Lakewood, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Buller, David B — Klein Buendel, INC.
- Study coordinator: Buller, David B
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.