Uses different data sources to explore explanation for why levels of mortality experienced by single Japanese are so high compared with those of married Japanese or of singles elsewhere. Presents evidence that marriage is likely to have been and probably continues to be more selective with regard to underlying health characteristics in Japan than…

This article focuses on the ways in which patterns of marriage and fertility shape older people's involvement in community groups and their support networks. The data are from Australia, Finland, Germany, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Findings show that childless older adults, regardless of…