
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
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.
2021
Conference Publication
Prevalence of adolescent cannabis vaping: a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies from the US and Canada
Lim, Carmen C.W., Sun, Tianze, Leung, Janni, Chung, Jack Y.C., Gartner, Coral, Connor, Jason P., Hall, Wayne, Chiu, Vivian, Stjepanovic, Daniel and Chan, Gary (2021). Prevalence of adolescent cannabis vaping: a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies from the US and Canada. APSAD Scientific Drug and Alcohol Conference, Virtual, 7-10 November 2021. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.
2021
Conference Publication
Symposium: epidemiology and potential public health benefits and harms of vaping - implication to tobacco control policies
Chan, Gary C. K., Sun, Tianze, Lim, Carmen C. W., Morphett, Kylie, Stjepanovic, Daniel, Chung, Jack Y. C., Chiu, Vivian, Connor, Jason P., Gartner, Coral, Hall, Wayne D. and Leung, Janni (2021). Symposium: epidemiology and potential public health benefits and harms of vaping - implication to tobacco control policies. APSAD 2021 Conference, Virtual, 7-10 November 2021. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing.
2021
Conference Publication
How many people use cannabis for medicinal reasons in Australia?
Leung, Janni, Lim, Carmen C. W., Chiu, Vivian, Chung, Jack Y. C., Mekonen, Tesfa, Hall, Wayne D. and Chan, Gary C. K. (2021). How many people use cannabis for medicinal reasons in Australia?. APSAD 2021 Conference, Virtual, 7-10 November 2021. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.
2021
Conference Publication
A meta-analysis of the efficacy of smokeless tobacco for smoking cessation
Stjepanovic, Daniel, Leung, Janni, Lim, Carmen C. W., Sun, Tianze, Chung, Jack Y. C., Phartiyal, Preeti, Gartner, Coral, Hall, Wayne D. and Chan, Gary C. K. (2021). A meta-analysis of the efficacy of smokeless tobacco for smoking cessation. APSAD 2021 Conference, Virtual, 7-10 November 2021. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing.
2021
Conference Publication
A network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of e-cigarettes in smoking cessation
Stjepanovic, Daniel, Chan, Gary C. K., Lim, Carmen C. W., Sun, Tianze, Anandan, Aathavan Shanmuga, Connor, Jason P., Gartner, Coral, Hall, Wayne D. and Leung, Janni (2021). A network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of e-cigarettes in smoking cessation. APSAD 2021 Conference, Virtual, 7-10 November 2021. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing.
2021
Journal Article
Comorbidity between mood and substance-related disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Saha, Sukanta, Lim, Carmen C.W., Degenhardt, Louisa, Cannon, Danielle L., Bremner, Monique, Prentis, Finley, Lawrence, Zoe, Heffernan, Ed, Meurk, Carla, Reilly, John and McGrath, John J. (2021). Comorbidity between mood and substance-related disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 56 (7) 00048674211054740, 000486742110547-770. doi: 10.1177/00048674211054740
2021
Journal Article
Prevalence of adolescent cannabis vaping: a systematic review and meta-analysis of US and Canadian studies
Lim, Carmen C. W., Sun, Tianze, Leung, Janni, Chung, Jack Y. C., Gartner, Coral, Connor, Jason, Hall, Wayne, Chiu, Vivian, Stjepanovic, Daniel and Chan, Gary C. K. (2021). Prevalence of adolescent cannabis vaping: a systematic review and meta-analysis of US and Canadian studies. JAMA Pediatrics, 176 (1), 42-51. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.4102
2021
Conference Publication
Prevalence of illicit substances in personal vaporisers on online cryptomarkets
Lim, Miss Carmen, Leung, Janni, Connor, Jason, Hall, Wayne, Cheng, Brandon, Gartner, Coral, Scheurer, Roman and Chan, Gary (2021). Prevalence of illicit substances in personal vaporisers on online cryptomarkets. IEA World Congress of Epidemiology 2021, Virtual, 3-6 September 2021. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyab168.389
2021
Journal Article
Content analysis of cannabis vaping videos on YouTube
Lim, Carmen C. W., Leung, Janni, Chung, Jack Yiu Chak, Sun, Tianze, Gartner, Coral, Connor, Jason, Hall, Wayne, Chiu, Vivian, Tisdale, Calvert, Stjepanović, Daniel and Chan, Gary (2021). Content analysis of cannabis vaping videos on YouTube. Addiction, 116 (9), 2443-2453. doi: 10.1111/add.15424
2021
Journal Article
Reactions on Twitter towards Australia's proposed import restriction on nicotine vaping products: a thematic analysis
Sun, Tianze, Lim, Carmen C.W., Gartner, Coral, Connor, Jason P., Hall, Wayne D., Leung, Janni, Stjepanović, Daniel and Chan, Gary C.K. (2021). Reactions on Twitter towards Australia's proposed import restriction on nicotine vaping products: a thematic analysis. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 45 (6) 1753-6405.13143, 1-3. doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.13143
2021
Journal Article
A systematic review of randomized controlled trials and network meta-analysis of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation
Chan, Gary C. K., Stjepanović, Daniel, Lim, Carmen, Sun, Tianze, Shanmuga Anandan, Aathavan, Connor, Jason P., Gartner, Coral, Hall, Wayne D. and Leung, Janni (2021). A systematic review of randomized controlled trials and network meta-analysis of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation. Addictive Behaviors, 119 106912, 106912. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2021.106912
2021
Conference Publication
Sodium benzoate as an adjunctive treatment in early psychosis: a randomised clinical trial
Scott, J. G., Baker, A., Lim, C., Foley, S., Dark, F., Gordon, A., Ward, D., Richardson, D., Bruxner, G., Beckmann, K., Hatherill, S., Stathis, S., Dixon, K., Ryan, A., McWhinney, B., Ungerer, J., Berk, M., Dean, O., Saha, S. and McGrath, J. J. (2021). Sodium benzoate as an adjunctive treatment in early psychosis: a randomised clinical trial. RANZCP 2021, Hobart, TAS Australia, 16-20 May 2021. London, United Kingdom: Sage Publications.
2021
Journal Article
Co‐morbidity between mood and anxiety disorders: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Saha, Sukanta, Lim, Carmen C. W., Cannon, Danielle L., Burton, Lucinda, Bremner, Monique, Cosgrove, Peter, Huo, Yan and McGrath, John (2021). Co‐morbidity between mood and anxiety disorders: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Depression and Anxiety, 38 (3), 286-306. doi: 10.1002/da.23113
2021
Journal Article
Personal correlates of support for medical and recreational cannabis legalization in Australia
Chiu, Vivian, Chan, Gary, Hall, Wayne, Hides, Leanne, Lim, Carmen and Leung, Janni (2021). Personal correlates of support for medical and recreational cannabis legalization in Australia. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12 551661, 551661. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.551661
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Carmen Lim is:
- Available for supervision
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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
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
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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
Media
Enquiries
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