TABLE OF CONTENTS

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A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S ......... .................................................................................... iii

LIST OF TABLES ........... ................... .............. ....... ....... vi

CHAPTER

1 INTRODUCTION ............... ................. ........... ................. ... .... 1

2 B A C K G R O U N D .................... .... ................................ ........ ........ .......... .. ....

 Life Course Framework and Retirement Behavior.....................................................3
 Race and R etirem ent A m ong M en ........................................ .......... ............... 3
 R ace, H health, and D disability ............................................................................. 4
 Race, Wealth, and Retirement Behavior............................................. ...............5
 Race, Family Characteristics, and Retirement Behavior............................................6
 Race, Work Characteristics, and Retirement Behavior ..............................................6
 Race, Education, and R etirem ent Behavior....................................... .....................7
 R research H ypotheses .................. ................................ ........ .......... .. ..

3 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS .................... .......................................9

 M easurement of Labor Force Behavior.............................................. .................. 9
 Measurement of Sociodemographic Characteristics ...............................................10
 M easurem ent of H health .................................................................. ...................... 11
 M easurem ent of Fam ily Circum stances ........................ .. ................... .................11
 Measurement of Midlife Work Characteristics ...................................... ..................12
 Measurement of Midlife Economic Well-Being ................................... ................ 13
 A n alytic Strategy ................................................................14

4 R E S U L T S ............. ..... ............ ................. ..................................................1 5

 N ested m odel strategy......................................................... .. .. .... ........ ......18
 Retirement behavior among African American and White women .........................19
 Work disability among African American and White women............................. 23