Individual and parental housing tenure and mental healthcare use among Finnish men and women in early mid-adulthood

Homeownership is a valuable status associated with better mental health outcomes than being a tenant. However, research has yet to investigate the role of duration and past experiences of homeownership, particularly in a context where homeownership is getting harder to achieve, especially for younger working-age adults. We estimate how individual and parental housing tenure is associated with mental healthcare use based on random-effect logit models using Finnish National Registers for residents born in 1972–1975. Mental healthcare use is measured through medication purchases and hospital visits for mental health reasons at ages 35 to 41. Parental housing tenure is observed at age 15, and individual housing tenure is measured annually from age 35 to 41. Analyses also address previous mental healthcare use (observed at age 20 to 35) and various health-related, demographic and socioeconomic covariates that are either time-varying (observed at ages 35–41) or time-constant (age 35). Results show that individual homeownership is associated with lower mental healthcare use independently of other socioeconomic factors (education, income and occupational status), even for individuals without previous mental healthcare use. Results stratified by parental housing tenure show that those who grew up as homeowners –– who might value homeownership more than those who grew up as tenants –– and those with separated or lone parents –– who might be more socioeconomically deprived and benefit more from family wealth in the future –– profited most from homeownership. The role of homeownership duration is minimal compared to the gap between owners and tenants. Parental homeownership is also associated with less mental healthcare use in the early mid-adulthood net of individual social characteristics. The results highlight the role of past and present homeownership histories and intergenerational continuities as a central mental health determinant that is independent of other socioeconomic and demographic factors. • Housing tenure is a central component in mental health inequalities and its impact is both short- and long-term. • Homeownership at ages 15 and 35–40 is associated with lower mental healthcare use independently in the late 30ies than being a tenant, after controlling for other socioeconomic factors and for individuals with no previous mental healthcare use. • The role of homeownership duration is minimal compared to the gap between owners and tenants. • The advantage of homeownership during childhood is less visible for those who grew up with both parents at home as tenants, highlighting that homeownership is a social norm and expectation that depends on the previous generations' housing tenure.