How nicotine and tobacco ads and posts reach teens on social media
Nicotine and Tobacco Messaging on Youth-Oriented Social Media Platforms
Researchers will look at how misleading social media posts about vaping and tobacco reach teens and whether those messages make them more likely to try nicotine products.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11121786 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As a teenager, you would see researchers collect examples of ads and user posts about vaping and tobacco from youth-oriented social media platforms. They will combine what they find with surveys and input from Black, Hispanic, and LGBTQ youth to see whether exposure is linked to being more open to trying nicotine. Youth will help design and give feedback on health messages meant to correct wrong information. The team will test whether these counter-messages are acceptable and understandable to young people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are 12–20 year olds who use youth-focused social media, especially those who identify as Black, Hispanic, or gay/lesbian/bisexual.
Not a fit: Adults over 21 or people who do not use social media are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to clearer anti-tobacco messaging that lowers teens' chances of starting nicotine use.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies link tobacco advertising to higher youth use and some counter-marketing has worked, but addressing misinformation on social media with youth-led approaches is a newer area.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sidani, Jaime Elizabeth — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Sidani, Jaime Elizabeth
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 below.