​Is there a health benefit to homeownership? Not necessarily, say the authors of a study in the American Journal of Public Health that used CHIS data to explore whether home ownership resulted in better perceived health or improved health behaviors.

The authors found home ownership to be a statistically insignificant predictor of better health for racial and ethnic minorities. But regardless of ethnic group, there was a strong link between a homeowner's perception of their neighborhood as safe and their feelings of health and well-being. Specifically, homeowners reported that they were less likely to delay getting needed medical care or prescription medications if they perceived that they lived in a safe neighborhood.

The findings cast doubt on the continued perception that homeownership is a "surefire strategy to stable housing, greater life satisfaction, and better health," according to the journal article. What might be more effective, the authors argue, are policies seeking to improve neighborhood safety.

• Selena E. Ortiz