The Evolution of Aging Policy Scholarship in the Journal of Aging & Social Policy (1989-2025)

Since its launch in 1989, the Journal of Aging & Social Policy has served as a major outlet for applied research on policies affecting older adults. Yet the thematic trajectory of its archive over nearly four decades has not been mapped systematically. We apply structural topic modeling to 1,023 research articles published from 1989 through October 2025 and assess changes in topic prevalence across five analytic periods. The 31-topic solution was grouped into seven meta-categories, and regression tests were used to evaluate period differences. Politics, Governance & Law declined by 11.9% points, while Social Determinants & Vulnerability increased by 6.5 points and Health & Healthcare Access/Outcomes increased by 6.0 points. LTSS Delivery & Quality was the most prevalent meta-category (23.5% overall) and was similar in the first and last periods (about 20% each), indicating sustained attention alongside a broad portfolio of other themes. At the topic level, loneliness, isolation, and infection risks surged (+10.61% points), particularly during COVID-19, becoming the most prevalent contemporary topic. Overall, the published record shifted away from formal political and legal debates and toward the social and health contexts in which aging policy is implemented, including community environments, social vulnerability, and access to care.