Social Media Anti-vaping for Sexual and Gender Minority Teens

Project SMART: Social Media Anti-vaping Messages to Reduce ENDS Use Among Sexual and Gender Minority Teens

NIH-funded research University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11362786

This effort creates and shares anti-vaping content on social media specifically for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer teens to help them avoid or stop vaping.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Pennsylvania NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Philadelphia, United States)
Project IDNIH-11362786 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

We know that sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth are more likely to start vaping compared to other teens, which can lead to serious health problems later in life. Current anti-vaping campaigns often don't connect well with SGM youth because they don't address their unique experiences and beliefs. This project aims to develop and test social media content that is specifically designed for SGM teens aged 13-18. Our goal is to see if these tailored messages are more effective at preventing vaping than general anti-vaping messages.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are sexual and gender minority youth between 13 and 18 years old who currently vape or are at risk of starting.

Not a fit: Patients who are not sexual and gender minority youth or are outside the 13-18 age range may not directly benefit from this specific intervention.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help reduce vaping rates among sexual and gender minority youth, leading to better long-term health and fewer tobacco-related illnesses for this group.

How similar studies have performed: While the concept of culturally tailored health communication has shown promise, there is a critical need for more evidence-based interventions specifically designed to reduce vaping among sexual and gender minority youth.

Where this research is happening

Philadelphia, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.