Perceived Neighborhood Fear and Drug Use Among Young Adults.

Objectives To examine the association between perceptions of neighborhood safety and drug use, as well as mediation by depression and self- esteem. Methods The sample included 210 inner-city young adults (18 to 25 years) recruited from the Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Results Respondents who indicated greater fear of their neighborhood environment also had significantly greater levels of drug use than did those with lower perceived fear. However, this relationship was not a result of lower self-esteem or higher levels of depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Exploratory results point to the need to consider the broader role of the community environment and its impact on drug use among young adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]