Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society is a peer-reviewed medical journal associated with the American Geriatrics Society and focusing on clinical care, research, and policy affecting older adults. The journal publishes original research, reviews, clinical guidelines, and consensus statements that inform practice among clinicians and researchers in geriatrics and gerontology. It serves as an interface among institutions such as the American Medical Association, the National Institutes of Health, and professional organizations active in aging policy and clinical practice.

History

The journal was established in the mid-20th century amid developments linked to institutions like the National Institutes of Health, the American Medical Association, and postwar initiatives associated with the Truman administration and the expansion of federal health programs. Early editorial leadership connected the journal with figures who had affiliations to academic centers such as Johns Hopkins University, Harvard Medical School, Mayo Clinic, and University of California, San Francisco. Over successive decades the journal reflected shifts driven by milestones including the passage of the Social Security Act, the evolution of the Medicare (United States) program, and the founding of specialty societies like the American Geriatrics Society itself. Editorial themes paralleled major public health events—from outbreaks addressed by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance to demographic transitions studied by researchers at Columbia University and Stanford University—and incorporated contributions from authors affiliated with hospitals such as Massachusetts General Hospital and Cleveland Clinic.

Scope and Content

The journal covers clinical geriatrics topics including geriatric syndromes, pharmacotherapy, multimorbidity, and care models developed in settings such as Veterans Affairs hospitals, academic medical centers like University of Pennsylvania Health System, and community clinics associated with Kaiser Permanente. Articles address intersections with specialties and institutions including Cardiovascular Research Foundation, American Academy of Neurology, American Psychiatric Association, and public health agencies like the World Health Organization. Content types include randomized controlled trials from networks such as the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, epidemiologic studies referencing cohorts like the Framingham Heart Study, systematic reviews modeled after standards from the Cochrane Collaboration, and clinical practice guidelines comparable to those published by the American College of Physicians and American Academy of Family Physicians. The journal also features policy analyses relevant to legislation such as the Affordable Care Act and reports from commissions similar to the Institute of Medicine.

Publication and Editorial Information

Published monthly by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Geriatrics Society, the journal has editorial and production processes influenced by publishers and societies analogous to Elsevier, Springer Nature, and the British Medical Journal (BMJ) Publishing Group. Editors-in-chief historically have been drawn from leadership rosters at institutions such as Yale School of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, University of Michigan, and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. The editorial board has included clinicians and researchers affiliated with organizations like the American College of Physicians, Society of General Internal Medicine, Gerontological Society of America, and specialty groups including the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Peer review standards align with guidelines promoted by bodies such as the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors and ethical frameworks referenced by the World Medical Association.

Abstracting and Indexing

The journal is indexed in major bibliographic and abstracting services and databases comparable to PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase. Its inclusion in citation indexes parallels participation by journals tracked in metrics produced by organizations such as Clarivate Analytics and aggregated by services like Google Scholar. Abstracting facilitates discovery through library systems associated with institutions such as the Library of Congress, the National Library of Medicine, and university consortia at University of California campuses and the State University of New York system.

Impact and Reception

The journal’s influence is reflected in citation metrics commonly reported by entities including Journal Citation Reports, Scopus Citations, and policy citations in reports from agencies like the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and commissions similar to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Its articles have informed clinical pathways used in hospitals such as Brigham and Women's Hospital and Johns Hopkins Hospital and contributed to guidelines by professional societies including the American College of Cardiology and the American Geriatrics Society policy statements. The journal has been cited in analyses appearing in broader venues such as The New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, and specialty outlets like Annals of Internal Medicine, reflecting cross-disciplinary engagement and continuing relevance to practitioners, researchers, and policymakers.

Category:Medical journals Category:Geriatrics