Not all rental housing is equal for health

Abstract

The current study fills a gap in understanding how different types of rental housing in Canada, namely, government, not-for-profit, cooperative, and privately owned, are linked to tenants’ self-reported health and mental health, especially among equity-seeking populations. Using data from over 26,000 renters in the 2018–2019 Canadian Housing Survey, the study employs advanced statistical techniques (multivariable logistic regression with interaction terms) to explore how disparities vary by income, age, household composition, and racial identity. These findings challenge the assumption that all forms of affordable rental housing provide equal health benefits, offering valuable insights for designing more equitable, health-informed housing policies.