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

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2024 · $175,440

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY. The parent R01 of this proposed supplement Project SMART (Social Media Anti-
Vaping Messages to Reduce ENDS Use Among Sexual and Gender Minority Teens; R01DA054236-01) is to
evaluate the effectiveness of an SGM-tailored social media intervention to prevent vaping initiation among
SGM youth ages 13-18 years. Scientific Rationale: Although the use of social branding has been utilized in
cigarette smoking education campaigns among SGM young adults, this approach has not yet been explored
for vaping education campaigns intended for SGM youth. Objectives: The overall objective of this supplement
in response to PA-20-272 is to explore strategies used by social media influencers (SMIs) to engage with SGM
youth and factors related to collaborating with health organizations in health education campaigns. The long-
term goal is to increase the reach and impact of Project SMART's anti-vaping social media intervention to
reduce vaping susceptibility and initiation among SGM youth. Based on Social Branding Theory and the
Integrative Model of Social Media Influencers (SMIs), our specific aims are to: 1) Explore the strategies SMIs
used for content creation and distribution, specifically focusing on social branding efforts to increase message
authenticity, relatedness, and credibility and engage SGM youth on social media platforms and 2) Investigate
facilitators for SMIs' collaboration with health organizations on future social media-based vaping education
interventions for SGM youth, focusing on influencers' interests, motivations, and potential strategies for
creating and delivering SGM-tailored vaping prevention messages. Research Strategy: We will first conduct a
survey among 100 SMIs to describe influencers' current strategies and prior experiences with creating and
distributing health-related social media content that resonate with SGM youth and their interest, motivation,
and expectations if they were to partner with health organizations on a vaping prevention campaign for SGM
youth. Following the survey data analysis, we will purposively invite 8-10 SMIs from those expressing interest
in collaborating on vaping prevention for SGM youth in the survey study for in-depth interviews to explore how
SMIs define, implement, and integrate important message and source characteristics into their own post
creation and delivery and obtain SMIs' suggestions and recommendations on vaping prevention messages
aimed at SGM youth, understand factors SMIs consider like motivations and barriers concerning potential
collaboration with researchers and health organizations in co-creating and disseminating effective social
media-based vaping prevention messages for SGM youth. Impact: The expected outcomes of this supplement
include a detailed understanding of influencers' current strategies for engaging SGM youth on social media
platforms, their interest in collaborating on tailored vaping prevention interventions for SGM youth, insights for
refining vaping pr...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11057349
- **Project number:** 3R01DA054236-04S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Andy SL Tan
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $175,440
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2021-07-01 → 2026-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11057349

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11057349, Project SMART: Social Media Anti-vaping Messages to Reduce ENDS Use Among Sexual and Gender Minority Teens (3R01DA054236-04S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11057349. Licensed CC0.

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