Journal of Aging Studies

Journal of Aging Studies
Title	Journal of Aging Studies
Discipline	Gerontology
Abbreviation	J. Aging Stud.
Publisher	Elsevier
Country	Netherlands
Frequency	Quarterly
History	1987–present

Journal of Aging Studies is a peer-reviewed academic periodical focusing on the social, cultural, and behavioral dimensions of aging and later life. It publishes empirical research, theoretical analysis, and critical essays addressing aging in diverse contexts, engaging scholars across sociology, anthropology, psychology, public health, and cultural studies. The journal interacts with debates surrounding demographic change, health policy, long-term care, and intergenerational relations.

History

The journal was established in 1987 during a period when gerontology journals were expanding alongside demographic research in United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Germany. Early editorial leadership drew contributors from institutions such as Harvard University, University of Oxford, University of Toronto, University of California, Berkeley, and London School of Economics. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s the journal published work connected to projects funded by bodies like the National Institutes of Health, Economic and Social Research Council (United Kingdom), Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Australian Research Council, and the European Commission. Notable special issues connected with conferences at American Sociological Association, Gerontological Society of America, British Society of Gerontology, International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics, and regional meetings in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Scope and Contents

The journal covers qualitative and quantitative studies on aging, including life course research at centers such as Institute for Advanced Study, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, and Johns Hopkins University. Typical topics intersect with work from scholars affiliated with Columbia University, Yale University, University of Michigan, University of Chicago, and University College London. Articles examine retirement and pension regimes influenced by legislation like the Social Security Act, comparative analyses referencing countries such as Sweden, Japan, Italy, France, and Spain. The journal features case studies involving care institutions like Royal Hospital Chelsea, community projects linked to United Nations programs, and ethnographies rooted in locales including New York City, Mumbai, Beijing, São Paulo, and Johannesburg.

Editorial Board and Peer Review

The editorial board typically includes editors and advisory members from universities and research centers such as Princeton University, Stanford University, Cornell University, McGill University, and Duke University. Peer review follows double-blind procedures common in journals associated with publishers like Elsevier, Taylor & Francis, Wiley-Blackwell, SAGE Publications, and Cambridge University Press. Editorial decisions are informed by standards similar to those used by multidisciplinary outlets such as The Gerontologist, Ageing & Society, Journal of Gerontology, Social Science & Medicine, and The Lancet specialist series on aging.

Publication Details

Published quarterly by a major international publisher, the journal issues articles, review essays, book reviews, and thematic special issues coordinated with guest editors from institutions like King's College London, University of Edinburgh, University of Sydney, National University of Singapore, and Peking University. Submissions are processed through manuscript systems used by journals including Nature Aging, JAMA, BMJ, Science Advances, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Production practices align with indexing requirements from services such as Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed Central for related content.

Impact and Reception

Scholars cite the journal in discussions of aging alongside references to classic works and figures connected to Peter Laslett, Paul Baltes, Robert Butler, Ethel Shanas, and policy debates involving Margaret Thatcher-era reforms or initiatives promoted by the World Health Organization. Reviews and citation metrics compare it with journals like Journals of Gerontology Series B, Age and Ageing, BMC Geriatrics, Journal of Aging and Health, and multidisciplinary outlets such as Social Forces and American Journal of Sociology. The journal's influence is reflected in citations in research reports by OECD, World Bank, United Nations Development Programme, European Directorate-General for Employment, and national ministries of health and social care in countries such as Norway, Netherlands, Germany, and South Korea.

Indexing and Abstracting

The journal is indexed in major bibliographic services and databases including Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, PsycINFO, and EBSCO. Libraries catalog holdings via systems used by institutions such as Library of Congress, British Library, National Library of Medicine, Bibliothèque nationale de France, and Deutsche Nationalbibliothek. Abstracting appears in disciplinary outlets alongside entries for comparative aging scholarship housed at centers like International Longevity Centre, Population Reference Bureau, RAND Corporation, Pew Research Center, and National Bureau of Economic Research.

Category:Academic journals Category:Gerontology journals