# Understanding the Impact of Vaping Prevention Ads on Adolescents and Young Adults

> **NIH NIH U54** · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · 2024 · $667,374

## Abstract

ABSTRACT: PROJECT 4
Smoking prevention campaigns are an effective tool for reducing adolescent and young adult cigarette
smoking. However, the science of vaping prevention campaigns is just beginning to emerge. Vaping prevention
video ads contain a large number of different objective ad features, and we currently know little about which ad
features are most impactful for adolescents and young adults. We also know little about whether impactful ad
features differ for lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adolescents and young adults who are more likely to vape
than their peers. The primary goal of our project is to characterize the objective features of vaping prevention
video ads to determine which ad features best predict perceived message effectiveness and most reduce
susceptibility to vaping. Our work also explores whether impactful ads and ad features differ by sexual
orientation, as well as an examination of unintended consequences of vaping prevention ads (e.g.,
encouraging cigarette smoking). For Aim 1, we will characterize the objective features of hundreds of vaping
prevention video ads from our Vaping Prevention Resource (VPR) – the largest open access archive of vaping
prevention messages in the country – and other sources. For Aim 2, we will identify which features of video
ads predict perceived message effectiveness and unintended effects using an online experiment with 3,000
adolescents and young adults (ages 13-20, oversampling LGB participants) who are at-risk of vaping or
currently vape. Based on the results, we will select 5 ads with promising features and 5 ads without promising
features for the Aim 3 randomized controlled trial (RCT). For Aim 3, we will evaluate the ability of vaping
prevention video ads with features found to be most promising in Aim 2 to reduce susceptibility to vaping. We
will recruit 1,200 adolescents and young adults (ages 13-20, oversampling LGB participants) who are at-risk of
vaping or currently vape to participate in an RCT with 3 online study sessions over 4 weeks. We will conduct a
2-arm trial where participants are randomized to view 1) ads with promising features (intervention) or 2) ads
without promising features (control). Our primary outcome is susceptibility to vaping and our secondary
outcomes include vaping risk beliefs, attitudes toward vaping, and vaping behavior. We will also explore
differences in ad impact by sexual orientation as well as unintended effects on cigarette smoking outcomes.
Our proposal fits within the integrative theme of the UNC TCORS of building the science for effective regulation
of and communication about tobacco products disproportionately used by priority populations – e-cigarettes –
in the U54 proposal “Advancing Tobacco Regulatory Science to Reduce Health Disparities.” Our project is
responsive to the FDA Scientific Domains of Communications (Aims 1-3) and Behavior (Aim 3) in RFA-OD-22-
004. This work will provide crucial knowledge about which features of vaping preve...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10934535
- **Project number:** 5U54DA060049-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- **Principal Investigator:** SETH Michael NOAR
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $667,374
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-30 → 2028-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10934535

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10934535, Understanding the Impact of Vaping Prevention Ads on Adolescents and Young Adults (5U54DA060049-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10934535. Licensed CC0.

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