Diversity in the Canadian Association on Gerontology: Some Exploratory Findings on Journal Publications and Conference Presentations

The elderly population in Canada is far from homogenous. Nevertheless, research findings on various diverse population groups are limited. As the leading professional association on aging, it is important for the CAG to take leadership that fosters research interests on diversity issues. This presentation will provide exploratory findings on the extent to which diversity has been addressed, as reflected through two avenues: journal articles published in the Canadian Journal on Aging and presentation sessions during the annual scientific meetings in the last decade. The results demonstrate that a relatively small amount of journal articles and conference presentations have centred their focus on issues faced by various diverse groups in the elderly population. The presenters raise the call for increased attention by researchers on diversity issues in the elderly population, as well as discuss suggestions for the CAG to take the leadership in promoting diversity.