Introduction: social and cultural diversity of the oldest-old.
This introduction describes a volume devoted to a much neglected topic and population, the social and cultural diversity among individuals eighty-five years old and older. Four articles come from the San Francisco 85+


METHODS
1) comparisons by Colleen Johnson between whites and African Americans in socioeconomic status, health, and other outcomes; 2) Barbara Barer's analysis of gender differences in the stressors faced in late-life; 3) Charlotte Perry and Colleen Johnson's examination of the families of oldest-old African Americans; 4) Lillian Troll's analysis of white families. The fifth article by Gloria Clayton on rural/urban differences comes from the Georgia Centenarian STUDY. Finally the volume concludes with a commentary by Leonard Pearlin that places these studies into the broader context of aging research.
Johnson
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Medical Anthropology Program, University of California, San Francisco 94143-0850.
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over / Q000523:psychology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011158:Population Growth; D012495:San Francisco / Q000453:epidemiology; D012931:Social Environment; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data