Understanding Social Media's Influence on E-cigarette Prevention Messages
Official title: Using Innovative Machine Learning to Detect Organized Support and Opposition to E-cigarette Use Prevention Campaign Messaging on Twitter and TikTok
Funded at National Opinion Research Center · NIH-11118916 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses advanced computer tools to understand how social media platforms like Twitter and TikTok shape opinions about preventing e-cigarette use, especially among young people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | National Opinion Research Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $690,851 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA283038-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11118916 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This project does not involve direct patient participation but aims to benefit individuals at risk of e-cigarette use, particularly youth, through improved public health messaging.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not at risk for e-cigarette use or those not exposed to social media prevention campaigns may not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
E-cigarette use has risen sharply, countering progress made in reducing cigarette smoking. Public health campaigns aim to prevent youth vaping, but these messages face competition from product promotions and strong opinions on social media. This project will use innovative machine learning to sort through vast amounts of social media data. By understanding what messages gain support or opposition, we can learn how to create more effective campaigns to protect public health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could help public health organizations create more effective campaigns to prevent e-cigarette use, especially among youth, by understanding how messages are received on social media.
How similar studies have gone: While anti-smoking campaigns have shown success, research on anti-vaping campaigns in the current complex social media environment is limited, making this approach relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
National Opinion Research Center
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Feng, Miao — National Opinion Research Center
- Study coordinator: Feng, Miao
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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.