Ecological correlates of substance use in African American adolescents living in public housing communities: Assessing the moderating effects of social cohesion

► This paper examines individual and social correlates of poly-substance use. ► Our sample included 660 African American adolescents living in public housing. ► PTSD symptoms, peers and violence positively related to poly-substance use. ► Community cohesion inverse related to poly-substance use. ► Community cohesion mitigates the effects of risk factors on poly-substance use.