Recruiting Latino young adults into a vaping cessation study via social media: Feasibility and cost analysis.
Rafael H Orfin, Victoria Uceda, Cody Gardner, Brianna Estrada, Edward Tamayo, Ruthmarie Hern��ndez-Torres, Dongmei Li, Irfan Rahman, Scott McIntosh, Deborah J Ossip, Ana Paula Cupertino, Francisco Cartujano-Barrera
Author Information
Rafael H Orfin: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, United States.
Victoria Uceda: School of Medicine, St. George's University, United States.
Cody Gardner: Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, United States.
Brianna Estrada: The Kick Vaping Latino Advisory Board.
Edward Tamayo: The Kick Vaping Latino Advisory Board.
Ruthmarie Hern��ndez-Torres: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, United States.
Dongmei Li: Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, United States.
Irfan Rahman: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, United States.
Scott McIntosh: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, United States.
Deborah J Ossip: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, United States.
Ana Paula Cupertino: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, United States.
Francisco Cartujano-Barrera: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, United States.
INTRODUCTION: This study aims to assess the feasibility and cost of recruiting young Latino adults (aged 18-25 years) to participate in a vaping cessation study via social media and to describe the baseline characteristics of participants enrolled via social media. METHODS: Paid advertisements were launched using the Meta Ads platform, which serves ads to users on Facebook and Instagram. Key measures of audience targeting included ages 18-25 years, all genders, and the following interests: 'electronic cigarettes', 'vape', 'Latin pop', and 'Latin music'. The advertisements invited young Latino adults to join a text messaging vaping cessation study. By clicking on the advertisements, interested individuals were directed to a website to fill in a contact form. The study team contacted individuals who filled in the form, assessed them for study eligibility, and, if eligible, enrolled them in the study. RESULTS: A total of 164 individuals completed the contact form, and 26 were successfully enrolled in the study. The enrollment efficiency ratio was 15.9% (26/164). The cost per enrollment was US$94.14. The participants' mean age was 22.7 years (SD=1.6). Half of the participants (50%) were male, 38.5% were female, and 11.5% were gender non-conforming/non-binary. Two-thirds of the participants (69.2%) were born in the US, 23.1% in Puerto Rico, and 7.7% in Mexico. Eight participants (30.7%) selected Spanish as their language of preference. In terms of the type of vaping device, 16 participants (61.5%) indicated using disposables, 6 (23.1%) cartridges/pods, and 4 (15.4%) tanks/refillable. Sixteen participants (61.5%) reported using marijuana in e-cigarettes. Six participants (23.1%) had high e-cigarette dependence. Twenty participants (76.9%) had attempted to quit e-cigarettes in the past year. CONCLUSIONS: It is feasible to recruit young Latino adults for a vaping cessation study via social media. Social media offers a relatively low-cost approach to recruiting a diverse sample of Latino young adults who vape.
