Purpose: Socioeconomic inequality has been associated with higher levels of morbidity and mortality. This study explores the role of absolute and relative deprivation in predicting late-life depression on both individual and country levels. Design and Methods: Country- and individual-level inequality indicators were used in multivariate logistic…

Purpose: We explored Bandura's self-efficacy theory as applied to older adult (aged 63-92) participation in physical and social activity in a cross-cultural study. Design and Methods: Older adults in Spain (n = 53) and the United States (n = 55) completed questions regarding self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, and participation in physical and…

Purpose: To examine perceptions about aging well in the context of cognitive health among a large and diverse group of older adults. Design and Methods: Forty-two focus groups were conducted with older adults living in the community ( N = 396; White, African American, American Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Hispanic). Participant descriptions …

Purpose: Evidence suggests that physical activity and healthy diets may help to maintain cognitive function, reducing risks of developing Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Using a cross-cultural focus, we describe older adults' awareness about cognitive health, and their ideas about how to inform and motivate others to engage in…

Responds to discussion (Fries, 1984) of an earlier article (Myers and Manton, 1984) presenting empirical evidence on changes in the distribution of ages at death. Further analysis of the data is presented, including life expectancy changes from 1950-1978 and comparison of data for men and women from several countries. (JAC)

Conducted a three-generation study of women's attitudes toward gender-appropriate roles and filial responsibility. United States gender-role attitudes were more egalitarian than those of the Japanese. In both countries, all three generations agreed that care of the elderly is a family responsibility, but attitudes toward filial responsibility were…

Used data from United States, Jamaica, Malaysia, and Bangladesh to explore gender differences in adult health. Found that women fared worse than men across variety of self-reported health measures in all four countries. Data from Jamaica indicated that gender disparities in adult health arose early and persisted throughout the life cycle, with…

The activity theory of aging, originally constructed on the basis of American research and tested predominantly in the USA, asserts an individual's life satisfaction is directly related to his degree of social interaction or level of activity. This theory was found to be relevant in the English context. (Author)

In older persons the disabling process follows a general pattern of progression based on a typical sequence of impairments. Critical steps are identified and a model is presented. The model, based on a hierarchy of activities of daily living, was tested in several ways, including cross-cultural verification. (Author/EMK)

A country, case-descriptive methodology was employed in a cross-national study of social service systems. The major findings with regard to the aged are: (1) countries must establish a firm infrastructure of basic social provision for community services to function adequately and: (2) a common core of "personal social services" is emerging…

Studied American images of Japanese aging in Americans (N=40) living temporarily in Japan and Americans (N=120) living in Chicago and Honolulu. Results suggest that Americans idealize Japanese old age; that this idealization reflects Americans' ambivalence about dependence across the life cycle; and that this idealization is not limited to laymen.…

Reports data on admissions, discharges, and changes in health status of eight admission cohorts to nursing homes in a jurisdiction with universally-insured nursing home and home care services. The findings are compared to U.S. studies and disclose differences which may reflect differences in payment mechanisms and admission policies. (Author/JAC)

The present bibliography contains selected professional, research, and scholarly references regarding the Spanish-speaking elderly from Latin America, Spain, and the United States for the years 1960 to 1977. (Author)

Searched cross-cultural collections and found that, of 2,500 fairy tales reviewed, only two percent featured older adults as protagonists. Discusses six themes from these stories which contain valuable folk wisdom about psychological development in later life. (Author/ABB)

Examined the involvement of 1,050 older Australians with members of their modified-extended families, especially adult children. Results showed the relationships entail close emotional bonds, regular interaction, and a two-way flow of instrumental support. Older Australians live in joint households more frequently than Americans do. (JAC)