MarketTools study on U.S. Hispanic Health and Wellness Data.

MarketTools announced its Hispanic Reach Health and Wellness Study, the first comprehensive syndicated research report to examine the perceptions, expectations and behaviors of the U.S. Hispanic community in the areas of nutrition, lifestyle and healthcare. Targeted towards advertisers, marketers and market researchers, this report delivers timely and insightful answers that enable companies to better understand U.S. Hispanics’ attitudes toward healthcare and healthy living in order to more effectively market to those audiences. The Hispanic Reach Health and Wellness Study is the first of many different syndicated research services that MarketTools will publish in 2006 and 2007.

Acculturation Impacts Perceptions and Attitudes Toward Healthy Living

MarketTools’ Hispanic Reach Health and Wellness Study reveals a number of different dietary, exercise, lifestyle and healthcare practices that vary according to acculturation levels. While the Study illustrates these findings in more detail, highlights include:

1) While obesity is the top health concern for Hispanics and Non-Hispanics alike, acculturation appears to have an impact on Hispanics’ perception of their own weight. Only 28% of fully unacculturated Hispanics feel that they are overweight while 62% of the partially acculturated and 64% of the fully acculturated feel the same.

2) For Hispanics and unacculturated Hispanics, in particular, the desire to be social impacts many behaviors including tobacco use, alcohol consumption, exercise and dining out. 52% of Hispanics say that socializing with other people is a main benefit to exercise, and 17% of Hispanics smoke to be part of a party or a group.

3) 42% of Hispanics classify their relationships with physicians as respectful. They hold their doctors in high esteem and respect and follow the doctor’s recommendations. In contrast, 36% of Non-Hispanics believe their physician relationship involves a “team-approach” where both parties are collaborating.

Researching the U.S. Hispanic consumer is expensive and time-consuming because most research is conducted offline, requiring extensive effort to collect and assimilate data. In addition, very few existing research studies have attempted to truly capture what motivates Hispanics’ attitudes and behaviors toward health and wellness. As a result, companies often build marketing and product plans based on unverified preconceptions about Hispanics’ expectations, needs and motivations. MarketTools’ Hispanic Reach Health and Wellness Study draws upon MarketTools’ Hispanic Reach panel, a proven multi-level acculturation model, deep research expertise and tested online and offline research methods to provide an in-depth picture of food and beverage consumption, exercise habits, common ailments, health insurance coverage and physician relationships. In addition, the Study helps companies answer critical questions such as “where do Hispanics go to find information on healthy living and healthcare services?” so that they can plan more targeted marketing campaigns or develop more appropriate products.

“As the U.S. Hispanic population grows and diversifies, it becomes harder for companies to keep track of their changing healthcare needs and preferences,” said Heidi Dickert, MarketTools’ Vice President, New Products. “By offering marketers and advertisers a more in-depth, representative sample of U.S. Hispanic health and wellness information, MarketTools can help companies more effectively develop, market and sell their products and services to the full spectrum of the Hispanic population.”

For more information at http://www.markettools.com