Megan Moreno to study social media discussions of alcohol use and norms

Megan Moreno, MD, MSEd, MPH
Megan Moreno, MD, MSEd, MPH

Megan Moreno, MD, MSEd, MPH, vice chair of Academic Affairs and professor, General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, was recently awarded a two-year, $419,734 R21 grant from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) for her project, “Displayed social media references to sobriety, abstinence and moderation (SAM): Prevalence, predictors and possibilities.” Her project will evaluate social media profiles of young adults who discuss and share posts on sobriety, abstinence, and moderation (SAM). SAM posts may influence social norms about alcohol use. They may also be displayed by individuals who are considering behavior change, an ideal population for targeted interventions. The outcomes of this innovative study will inform novel opportunities for social media messaging, big data surveillance approaches, and tailored interventions to reduce problem alcohol use among young adults.