The purpose of this study was to explore prevalent health issues, perceived barriers to seeking health care, and utilization of health care among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) populations in New Jersey. A cross-sectional online survey was administered to 438 self-identified LGBT people. Results identified health needs, which included management of chronic diseases, preventive care for risky behaviors, mental health issues, and issues related to interpersonal violence. Barriers to seeking health care included scarceness of health professionals competent in LGBT health, inadequate health insurance coverage and lack of personal finances, and widely dispersed LGBT inclusive practices making transportation difficult. There is a need for better preparation of health care professionals who care for LGBT patients, to strengthen social services to improve access and for better integration of medical and social services.

It is estimated that 324,000 pregnant women are abused by their partners in the United States each year. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the intimate partner violence-screening practices of certified nurse-midwives (CNMs). In-depth interviews were conducted with a sample (n = 8) of CNMs, and the data were analyzed by using with-case and across-case methods. The findings demonstrate that the midwives were inconsistent in their intimate partner violence-screening practice during pregnancy and increase or decrease screening in response to a woman's cultural background. Screening in a culturally competent manner is expected of all clinicians, but the demands of an increasingly complex, culturally diverse practice environment make it difficult. Consistent intimate partner abuse screening in a culturally competent manner is a challenge for all primary care providers.

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Mexican immigrant mothers and their children encounter many stressors as they adapt to life in the United States. This article reports a secondary data analysis from a school-based home visiting program focused on assisting Mexican immigrant mothers and their children develop problem-solving strategies in dealing with stressors. Data were abstracted from home visiting records to determine the types of problems Mexican immigrant mothers chose to discuss with nurses. Nine categories of problems were developed from the data. Problems most frequently identified by mothers were family health concerns and access to health care, parenting and financial concerns. Findings and implications for school nursing practice are discussed.

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