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.