Overview
Background
Carmen is an NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow at the National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research. Her research seeks to understand why young people start using substances and develop strategies that advance public health.
Her work spans four key areas:
(1) Youth vaping and social media, where she examines trends and the influence of social media on youth vaping; (2) Cannabis and regulation, investigating industry marketing practices and compliance with regulatory guidelines; (3) International comparisons and equity - developing culturally appropriate prevention and harm reduction strategies to address substance use in diverse contexts; (4) Substance use and mental health - exploring the links between substance use and mental health conditions.
Through her research, Carmen aims to generate evidence that informs policy, guides prevention and harm reduction efforts, and support healthier futures for young people. She has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers in addiction and mental health (Google Scholar: >10K citations, h-index = 43, 31% output in top 10% citation percentile).
Carmen holds qualifications in biostatistics, public health and epidemiology. She has experiences in teaching and mentoring students from diverse demographic and cultural background, and welcomes self-driven, curious students with interest in public health, psychology, epidemiology, or statistics to join her team.
Availability
- Dr Carmen Lim is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy of Psychology, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Substance Use
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Harm reduction
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Mental health
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Digital advertising
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Biostatistics
Research impacts
My research focuses on why young people start using substances such as e-cigarettes, cannabis, and alcohol, and how we can reduce the harms that follow. By combining survey data with innovative tools like social media analysis, I provide early evidence that helps communities, schools, and policymakers respond to emerging challenges.
This work has informed national discussions and inquiries on youth vaping, contributed to World Health Organization reports, and supported the development of harm reduction program internationally.
Beyond academia, I share findings widely through media outlets like The Conversation and national radio interviews, making evidence accessible to the broader community and ensuring it reaches those who can use it to drive change.
Works
Search Professor Carmen Lim’s works on UQ eSpace
2022
Conference Publication
Perceived loneliness, peer and parental relationship with smoking: A cross-sectional analysis of adolescents across South-East Asia
McClure-Thomas, Caitlin, Lim, Carmen C. W., Sebayang, Susy, Fausiah, Fitri, Farassania, Ghea, Gouda, Hebe and Leung, Janni (2022). Perceived loneliness, peer and parental relationship with smoking: A cross-sectional analysis of adolescents across South-East Asia. HOBOKEN: WILEY.
2022
Conference Publication
Does second-hand smoking mass-media campaign increase public awareness and reduce second-hand smoke exposure? A systematic review
Lim, Carmen C. W., McClure-Thomas, Caitlin, Stjepanovic, Daniel, Cheng, Brandon, Sebayang, Susy, Fausiah, Fitri, Farassania, Ghea, Maidin, Alimin, Ansariadi, Ansariadi, Gartner, Coral, Scheurer, Roman, Chan, Gary C. K., Gouda, Hebe and Leung, Janni (2022). Does second-hand smoking mass-media campaign increase public awareness and reduce second-hand smoke exposure? A systematic review. APSAD 2022 Conference, Darwin, NT Australia, 9–12 October 2022. Chichester, West Sussex United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.
2022
Conference Publication
Adolescent exposure to advertisements and promotions for tobacco products on the internet
Leung, Janni, Foo, Shaun, McClure-Thomas, Caitlin, Lim, Carmen C. W., Fausiah, Fitri, Farassania, Ghea, Gouda, Hebe and Sebayang, Susy (2022). Adolescent exposure to advertisements and promotions for tobacco products on the internet. HOBOKEN: WILEY.
2022
Journal Article
#TurntTrending: a systematic review of substance use portrayals on social media platforms
Rutherford, Brienna N., Lim, Carmen C. W., Johnson, Benjamin, Cheng, Brandon, Chung, Jack, Huang, Sandy, Sun, Tianze, Leung, Janni, Stjepanović, Daniel and Chan, Gary C. K. (2022). #TurntTrending: a systematic review of substance use portrayals on social media platforms. Addiction, 118 (2), 206-217. doi: 10.1111/add.16020
2022
Journal Article
Association of dietary patterns and food groups intake with multimorbidity: a prospective cohort study
Zhang, Yue, Chen, Hui, Carrillo-Larco, Rodrigo M., Lim, Carmen C.W., Mishra, Shiva Raj, Yuan, Changzheng and Xu, Xiaolin (2022). Association of dietary patterns and food groups intake with multimorbidity: a prospective cohort study. Clinical Nutrition ESPEN, 51, 359-366. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2022.07.019
2022
Journal Article
Association between socioeconomic status and health behaviour change before and after non-communicable disease diagnoses: a multicohort study
Wang, Danyang, Dai, Xiaochen, Mishra, Shiva Raj, Lim, Carmen C W., Carrillo-Larco, Rodrigo M., Gakidou, Emmanuela and Xu, Xiaolin (2022). Association between socioeconomic status and health behaviour change before and after non-communicable disease diagnoses: a multicohort study. The Lancet Public Health, 7 (8), e670-e682. doi: 10.1016/s2468-2667(22)00157-8
2022
Journal Article
Perceived loneliness, peer, and parental relationship with smoking: a cross-sectional analysis of adolescents across South-East Asia
McClure-Thomas, Caitlin, Lim, Carmen, Sebayang, Susy, Fausiah, Fitri, Gouda, Hebe and Leung, Janni (2022). Perceived loneliness, peer, and parental relationship with smoking: a cross-sectional analysis of adolescents across South-East Asia. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health, 34 (8), 770-777. doi: 10.1177/10105395221115220
2022
Journal Article
Getting high for likes: exploring cannabis‐related content on TikTok
Rutherford, Brienna N., Sun, Tianze, Johnson, Benjamin, Co, Steven, Lim, Tong Liang, Lim, Carmen C. W., Chiu, Vivian, Leung, Janni, Stjepanovic, Daniel, Connor, Jason P. and Chan, Gary C. K. (2022). Getting high for likes: exploring cannabis‐related content on TikTok. Drug and Alcohol Review, 41 (5), 1119-1125. doi: 10.1111/dar.13433
2022
Conference Publication
Patterns of tobacco and cannabis use in Australia: a latent class analysis and health-related correlates
Lim, Carmen C. W., Leung, Janni, Gravely, Shannon, Gartner, Coral, Chiu, Vivian, Sun, Tianze, Chung, Jack, Stjepanovic, Daniel, Connor, Jason, Scheurer, Roman, Hall, Wayne and Chan, Gary (2022). Patterns of tobacco and cannabis use in Australia: a latent class analysis and health-related correlates. The College on Problems of Drug Dependence, Minneapolis, MN USA, 11-15 June 2022.
2022
Journal Article
Causal inference with observational data in addiction research
Chan, Gary C. K., Lim, Carmen, Sun, Tianze, Stjepanovic, Daniel, Connor, Jason, Hall, Wayne and Leung, Janni (2022). Causal inference with observational data in addiction research. Addiction, 117 (10), 2736-2744. doi: 10.1111/add.15972
2022
Journal Article
Prevalence and correlates of cannabis use for medicinal reasons – an Australian cross-sectional study
Leung, Janni, Lim, Carmen C.W., Chiu, Vivian, Chung, Jack, Mekonen, Tesfa, Dawson, Danielle, Hall, Wayne D. and Chan, Gary C.K. (2022). Prevalence and correlates of cannabis use for medicinal reasons – an Australian cross-sectional study. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 15 100436, 100436. doi: 10.1016/j.abrep.2022.100436
2022
Journal Article
Did the under‐reporting of meth/amphetamine use increase in a general population survey in Australia as negative media coverage increased?
Chan, Gary, Sun, Tianze, Lim, Carmen, Stjepanović, Daniel, Rutherford, Brienna, Johnson, Benjamin, Hall, Wayne and Leung, Janni (2022). Did the under‐reporting of meth/amphetamine use increase in a general population survey in Australia as negative media coverage increased?. Addiction, 117 (6), 1787-1793. doi: 10.1111/add.15783
2022
Journal Article
Age‐period‐cohort analysis of trends in tobacco smoking, cannabis use, and their co‐use in the Australian population
Leung, Janni, Gravely, Shannon, Lim, Carmen, Hall, Wayne and Chan, Gary (2022). Age‐period‐cohort analysis of trends in tobacco smoking, cannabis use, and their co‐use in the Australian population. Addiction, 117 (10), 2730-2735. doi: 10.1111/add.15951
2022
Journal Article
Association between the implementation of tobacco control policies and adolescent vaping in 44 lower‐middle, upper‐middle, and high‐income countries
Chan, Gary C. K., Gartner, Coral, Lim, Carmen, Sun, Tianze, Hall, Wayne, Connor, Jason, Stjepanović, Daniel and Leung, Janni (2022). Association between the implementation of tobacco control policies and adolescent vaping in 44 lower‐middle, upper‐middle, and high‐income countries. Addiction, 117 (8), 1-10. doi: 10.1111/add.15892
2022
Journal Article
Is smoking reduction and cessation associated with increased e-cigarette use? Findings from a nationally representative sample of adult smokers in Australia
Sun, Tianze, Lim, Carmen C.W., Rutherford, Brienna N., Johnson, Benjamin, Leung, Janni, Gartner, Coral, Hall, Wayne D., Connor, Jason P. and Chan, C. K. Gary (2022). Is smoking reduction and cessation associated with increased e-cigarette use? Findings from a nationally representative sample of adult smokers in Australia. Addictive Behaviors, 127 107217, 1-5. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2021.107217
2022
Journal Article
An age-period-cohort analysis of trends in psychedelic and ecstasy use in the Australian population
Chan, Gary, Sun, Tianze, Lim, Carmen, Yuen, Wing See, Stjepanović, Daniel, Rutherford, Brienna, Hall, Wayne, Johnson, Ben and Leung, Janni (2022). An age-period-cohort analysis of trends in psychedelic and ecstasy use in the Australian population. Addictive Behaviors, 127 107216, 107216. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2021.107216
2022
Journal Article
Changes in viewer engagement and accessibility of popular vaping videos on TikTok: a 12-month prospective study
Rutherford, Brienna N., Sun, Tianze, Lim, Carmen C. W., Chung, Jack, Cheng, Brandon, Davidson, Lily, Tisdale, Calvert, Leung, Janni, Stjepanović, Daniel, Connor, Jason P. and Chan, Gary C. K. (2022). Changes in viewer engagement and accessibility of popular vaping videos on TikTok: a 12-month prospective study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 (3) 1141, 1141. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19031141
2022
Journal Article
Association between marital relationship and multimorbidity in middle-aged adults: a longitudinal study across the US, UK, Europe, and China
Wang, Danyang, Li, Duanhui, Mishra, Shiva Raj, Lim, Carmen, Dai, Xiaochen, Chen, Shu and Xu, Xiaolin (2022). Association between marital relationship and multimorbidity in middle-aged adults: a longitudinal study across the US, UK, Europe, and China. Maturitas, 155, 32-39. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2021.09.011
2021
Journal Article
Has increased youth e-cigarette use in the USA, between 2014 and 2020, changed conventional smoking behaviors, future intentions to smoke and perceived smoking harms?
Sun, Tianze, Lim, Carmen C. W., Stjepanović, Daniel, Leung, Janni, Connor, Jason P., Gartner, Coral, Hall, Wayne D. and Chan, Gary C.K. (2021). Has increased youth e-cigarette use in the USA, between 2014 and 2020, changed conventional smoking behaviors, future intentions to smoke and perceived smoking harms?. Addictive Behaviors, 123 107073, 107073. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2021.107073
2021
Conference Publication
Patterns of cannabis and tobacco use in Australia: latent class analysis and health-rated correlates
Lim, Carmen C.W., Leung, Janni, Sun, Tianze, Chiu, Vivian, Stjepanovic, Daniel, Chung, Jack Y.C., Connor, Jason P., Hall, Wayne, Scheurer, Roman, Gartner, Coral and Chan, Gary (2021). Patterns of cannabis and tobacco use in Australia: latent class analysis and health-rated correlates. APSAD Scientific Drug and Alcohol Conference, Virtual, 7-10 November 2021. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Carmen Lim is:
- Available for supervision
Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.
Available projects
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Social Media Advertising on Youth Perceptions of Vaping
This PhD project aims to assess how targeted advertising on social media platforms affects youth perceptions of vaping. A mixed-methods approach could be used to analyze both quantitative and qualitative data.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Digital Deterrence: Exploring innovative social media interventions to curtail youth vaping
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jason Connor, Professor Coral Gartner
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Doctor Philosophy
Monitoring nicotine in Australia and globally using survey data to inform future vaping and smoking policies
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Gary Chung Kai Chan, Dr Daniel Stjepanovic
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Doctor Philosophy
The influence of social media upon alcohol use: An investigation of effects and mechanisms
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Gary Chung Kai Chan, Professor Jason Connor
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Doctor Philosophy
Population-level of substance use and health outcomes
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Gary Chung Kai Chan, Professor Leanne Hides, Associate Professor Janni Leung
Media
Enquiries
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