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Published on: September 12, 2014
Perceived neighborhood fear and drug use among young adults
Katherine P Theall1, Claire E Sterk, Kirk W Elifson
1Louisana State University, School of Public Health, New Orleaans, LA 70112, USA. kthea1@lsuhsc.edu
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.
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