The effect of housing on the mental health of older people: the impact of lifetime housing history in Whitehall II

Self-reported mental health generally improves by early old age, but social class differences in anxiety and depression increase with age. In this UK study, social inequalities in both self-reported mental health and general health increased in early old age, as the rate of improvement in mental health was less for those in the lower employment grades. Using a framework derived from the social determinants of health, we summarise the direct and indirect impact of housing patterns on health inequalities. We then analyse the specific roles of housing tenure and quality, as well as financial security over the life course, in explaining the pattern of improving mental health, but increasing mental health inequalities in the study. We conclude by discussing which public policies could reduce mental health inequalities in older people.