# Advancing Communication Science to Reduce Disparities in Young Adult Cigar Use

> **NIH NIH U54** · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · 2024 · $667,344

## Abstract

ABSTRACT: PROJECT 1
Almost 9 million US adults currently smoke cigars, which cause multiple cancers, including oral, esophageal,
laryngeal, and lung cancer. Over the last two decades, while cigarette consumption declined 48%, cigar
consumption increased 115%, mostly due to increased use of little cigars and cigarillos (LCCs). LCC rates are
highest in young adults (YA) ages 18-29, with disproportionately higher prevalence among Black YAs.
Communication campaigns have played powerful roles in reducing cigarette use, but no national campaigns
have yet focused on cigar or LCC use. There has been little research in communication science to reduce LCC
use, especially in social media, where YAs spend substantial time. Research is needed on identifying the
themes most likely to reduce LCC use; whether changing incorrect beliefs about flavors, harm, and addiction is
an effective approach; and how to increase attention and engagement with digital messages. These advances
will help reduce disparities in LCC use if done with a content co-creation approach, including involving Black
and other YAs in the development process. This project’s goal is to advance communication science to inform
campaigns to decrease YA LCC use, especially among Black YAs. This aligns with the UNC TCORS
integrative theme of building the science for effective regulation of and communication about tobacco products
disproportionately used by priority populations, including cigars. Project 1’s Aim 1 develops potentially
impactful theory-driven communication themes for reducing LCC use among YA LCC users. The team will
identify a comprehensive set of beliefs about LCC use and use a national survey to determine which beliefs
about LCC use are most promising to develop campaign messages that are then vetted with YA LCC user
focus groups. Aim 2 tests digital ad design features and messaging to identify those ads that maximize
attention and engagement among YA LCC users. The research team will work with design professionals to
create Instagram-like LCC ads for the messages and enhance them with design features to increase attention
and engagement. These ads will then be refined with focus groups and used in an eye-tracking experiment on
smartphones to compare digital LCC messages with and without the enhanced design features in a simulated
Instagram environment. Aim 3 conducts a multi-week randomized controlled trial to determine the
effectiveness of digital campaign ads with enhanced design features in promoting increased quit intentions
among YA LCC users. Participants in the trial will be exposed to Instagram-like enhanced LCC campaign
digital ads or control ads. The research team is optimally prepared for this project based on unique expertise in
cigar communication, message and campaign development, and reducing disparities. The proposed studies
respond to the RFA’s Communication and Behavior domains and will inform communication campaigns to
reduce LCC and other tobacco use and advance...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10934521
- **Project number:** 5U54DA060049-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- **Principal Investigator:** Adam O Goldstein
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $667,344
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-30 → 2028-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10934521

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10934521, Advancing Communication Science to Reduce Disparities in Young Adult Cigar Use (5U54DA060049-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10934521. Licensed CC0.

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