Understanding how social media marketing affects e-cigarette use among teens.
Official title: Evaluating the impact of e-cigarette social media marketing on e-cigarette use among underage youth.
Funded at University of Southern California · NIH-10675527 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how social media marketing, especially from influencers, affects high school students' use of e-cigarettes by analyzing millions of posts on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok to see what trends are out there and how they might influence young people's choices.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Southern California NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 19, 2021 |
| Project end | June 30, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $448,488 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA260459-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-10675527 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adolescents aged 12 to 18 who are active on social media and may be influenced by e-cigarette marketing.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not active on social media or who do not use e-cigarettes may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the influence of social media marketing on e-cigarette use among high school students, focusing on how endorsements from social media influencers impact youth behavior. The study will analyze over four million posts from platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok to identify marketing trends and compliance with regulations. By employing advanced artificial intelligence techniques, the research aims to uncover patterns in user engagement and changes in e-cigarette use among adolescents exposed to these marketing strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective prevention campaigns and policies to reduce e-cigarette use among youth.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that social media marketing significantly influences youth behavior, indicating that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Unger, Jennifer Beth — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Unger, Jennifer Beth
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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.