Foreword Pasqualina Perrig-Chiello Certain books are eagerly anticipated and long overdue. Gender, health, and ageing is such a book. Its topic is relevant in many different ways. The de- graphic and societal changes of the past decades, such as longevity and - provement of public health, have definitely created new and often very distinct realities for men and women. However, these diversities have only marginally and fragmentally been the topic of research endeavours. There is, for example, a general growing awareness for the societal phenomenon of feminization of old age, yet the topic and its psychosocial and health-related consequences havent attracted the scientific interest they would have deserved. It is noteworthy, that still until a few decades ago, the majority of geriatric and gerontological studies were oriented towards male standards without considering gender effects. Even though subsequent studies increasingly began to focus on differences between women and men, they referred mainly to the biological sex of a person and not to their gender belonging. Due to these scientific neglects and limitations, the state of the art in the field of gender, health and ageing is sketchy and often enough contradictory (Perrig-Chiello& Höpflinger, 2004).

Gertrud M. Backes, Professor for Ageing and Society at Vechta University, Centre for Research on Ageing and Society, Director.
Vera Lasch, Ph.D., Social Gerontology, at the Department of Social Studies, University of Kassel.
Katja Reimann, Diploma of Social Pedagogic, Social Gerontology, at the Department of Social Studies, University of Kassel.

Gender, Health, and Ageing: An Introduction.- Gender, Health, and Ageing: An Introduction.- Gender Impacts on the Life Course and Old-age Health.- Gendered Life Course and Ageing Implications on Lebenslagen of Ageing Women and Men.- Men in Later Life: Perspectives on Gender, Health, and Embodiment.- Mapping Existing Research and Identifying Knowledge Gaps Concerning the Situation of Older Women in Europe (MERI). From the Swedish National Report.- Issues of Health Research in the Context of Gender and Old-age.- The Impact of Gender and Age on Cardiovascular Health in Germany.- Health of Ageing Women in Hungary.- Social Resources and Health Status in Older Polish Women.- Double Vulnerability: Older Women and Health in Slovenia.- Quality of Life and Health of Ageing Women in Hungary: Characteristics and Biopsychosocial Background Factors.- Elder Abuse, Older Women and Considerations of Mental Health.- Challenges of Care Gender and Health Perspectives.- Ageing and Demographic Change: European Research Resources.- Care Resources and Social Exclusion: A European Comparison.- Future Elderly Living Conditions In Europe: Demographic Insights.- Care for Old People Between Gender Relations, Gender Roles, and Gender Constructs.