Working With LGBT Baby Boomers and Older Adults: Factors That Signal a Welcoming Service Environment

Many providers recognize the importance of creating culturally competent services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults. Although multiple resources list steps to make professional practices more LGBT-welcoming, these resources provide no empirical data to support their recommendations. LGBT older adults (N = 327) were asked to describe what signals that a provider is LGBT-welcoming. Six of the top 10 signals related to provider behavior and suggest the importance of staff training; the balance included display of signage and rainbow flags, use of inclusive language on forms and the presence of LGBT-identified staff. Results provide evidence-based recommendations for working with LGBT older adults.     

Binge drinking in female college students: the association of physical activity, weight concern, and depressive symptoms

As an initial step in building gender-specific binge drinking intervention programs, the authors investigated the relation of potentially modifiable factors (physical activity level, weight concern, and depressive symptoms) to binge drinking while controlling for the effects of previously established correlates of binge drinking (tobacco and marijuana use, GPA, and perception of peer alcohol use). Four-hundred-twelve college women completed an in-class survey. Multivariate analyses revealed that tobacco and marijuana use, GPA, and physical activity were significantly associated with binge drinking, whereas tobacco use and perception of peers' alcohol use were associated with more frequent binge drinking. The findings suggested that the variables associated with any binge drinking and frequency of binge drinking may differ and that binge drinking can be associated with positive health behaviors (ie, greater physical activity) as well as risky health behaviors (eg, tobacco use).     

Training, geography, and provision of aging services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender older adults

This research study surveyed leaders of Area Agencies on Aging (agencies) to understand their services, training, and beliefs about serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults. Half of the existing agencies in the United States (320) participated. Few agencies provided LGBT services or outreach. One-third had trained staff around LGBT aging and four-fifths were willing to offer training; these numbers were significantly higher for urban-based agencies. Agencies that had provided staff training and urban-based agencies were more likely to provide LGBT outreach and services, to believe in addressing LGBT issues, and to receive LGBT assistance requests. Training, policy, organizing, and research implications are considered.     

Training,Geography, and Provision of Aging Services to Lesbian,Gay, Bisexual,and Transgender Older Adults

This research study surveyed leaders of Area Agencies on Aging (agencies) to understand their services, training, and beliefs about serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults. Half of the existing agencies in the United States (320) participated. Few agencies provided LGBT services or outreach. One-third had trained staff around LGBT aging and four-fifths were willing to offer training; these numbers were significantly higher for urban-based agencies. Agencies that had provided staff training and urban-based agencies were more likely to provide LGBT outreach and services, to believe in addressing LGBT issues, and to receive LGBT assistance requests. Training, policy, organizing, and research implications are considered.     

Benchmarking small companies on the internet

The World Wide Web offers tremendous opportunities to high growth SMEs, but successive research studies have shown that significant business benefits are not being realised. This paper reports the results of the first comprehensive study into web adoption and usage by SMEs in Northern Ireland. It confirms broader research into SME adoption and usage of the World Wide Web and suggests that, if SMEs are to realise the full potential of the Web, they must think globally, act strategically and learn from competitors.