These researchers pooled data from a total of 15,626 older adults (aged ≥55 years) who participated in the 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2015/16 rounds of the New Zealand Health Survey (NZHS), for this investigation into relationships between the housing tenure of this cohort and their health-related behaviours, physical and mental health. The study researchers compared owner-occupiers, private renters and public renters. The majority of the study sample were owner-occupiers (83.2%); private and public renters comprised 12.4% and 4.5% of the study sample, respectively. Compared with owner-occupiers, renters were more likely to be living alone and living on lower annual incomes. Moreover, the study researchers identified a health gradient for overall measures of physical and mental health, with public renters in the poorest health and owner-occupiers in the best health. Rates of renting were higher amongst females aged ≥75 years, Māori and Pacific people. The paper points out that these groups are particularly vulnerable to any negative impact of renting on health. It also notes that over time, the proportion of older renters has been increasing, which will have important implications for future health and housing policy.
