New Research Identifies Most Important Issues for Hispanics - Education Leads the Way in Study That Also Reveals Most Trusted Sources for Information

Education is the No. 1 issue of importance for Hispanics across the nation, regardless of acculturation, according to a study released today by FH Hispania(R), the U.S. network of Hispanic practitioners within global communications powerhouse Fleishman-Hillard. The study, “Confianza: Hispanic Trust Pulse,” also found that teachers and schools are the leading source of information (trusted by 54 percent) followed by different sources of media (trusted by a combined 39 percent).

The FH Hispania research, conducted by NuStats, polled 1,000 respondents. It revealed that issues affecting the family are the most important to Hispanics, but their prominence varies depending on the respondents’ time in the United States. For first generation Hispanics, education, child care, and crime and security are the leading issues of importance. However, second generation Hispanics are most concerned about access to healthcare along with education and crime and security.

“In general, Hispanic adults are very family-centric, so the focus on education and childcare is not a surprise. But what is particularly noteworthy is that the interests of second-generation Hispanics begin to more closely mirror the interests of non-Hispanics,” said Rissig Licha, managing director of FH Hispania.

For non Hispanics who participated in the study, education, and crime and security also ranked among the top three topics of interest. Topics such as access to healthcare, religion, nutrition and fitness, and money and financial planning figured more prominently than for Hispanics.

The study also uncovered that topic experts, media, friends, and family, in that order, are the most trusted sources on the top 10 issues of interest among Hispanics.

“On the issue of greatest importance — education — Hispanics predominately turn to education professionals,” said Jorge Diaz de Villegas, senior vice president, partner and chair of FH Hispania “The media is also ranked as a trusted source for information, particularly on nutrition/fitness and environmental issues.”

    Confianza HispanicTrust Pulse on Top 5 Topics*:

    *Top 5 issues among all Hispanic respondents. Survey was conducted by
     NuStats and sample consisted of 1,000 participants nationwide: 750
     Hispanics and 250 non-Hispanics.

                            Friends
                              and     Gov.     Medical   Education    First
    Top 5 Topics     Media  Family  Agencies  Personnel  Personnel  Responders

    Education/
     Schools          39%     13%      8%                   54%
    Child Care        16%     34%      7%        29%        26%         1%
    Crime/Security    41%              7%                              51%
    Access to
     healthcare       32%     10%     10%        59%
    Emergency
     preparedness     33%              8%        19%                   48%

When it comes to media consumption, the study also found that there is significant crossover in use between English- and Spanish-language media among Hispanic consumers, regardless of their language preference. The research found that only about one-third of participants who predominantly speak Spanish at home consumed all of their broadcast media in Spanish. Consistent with other existing research, the study confirms that TV is the leading media source among Hispanics, followed by radio. And while language preference determines whether or not they watch or listen to Spanish-language media, it is not an influence when it comes to print consumption since 84 percent of those Hispanics that predominantly speak Spanish in the home indicated that they read English publications.

“When planning communications programs for our clients, it is important to know not only what issues matter most to Hispanics but where they go to obtain information about those topics,” said Diaz de Villegas. “This research helps us identify the role that media and other influencers play in that dynamic.”

FH Hispania conducted the study to mark the 5th anniversary of the creation of Fleishman-Hillard’s specialty communications unit that provides Hispanic public relations and communications services to Fortune 500 companies, and government and nonprofit clients.”

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