Pharmaceutical and healthcare brands continually search for new and better ways to reach patients, yet multicultural marketing efforts are often woefully absent—even for the largest growing population.
- 1 de cada 4 bebés nacidos en los Estados Unidos es hispano (25%).1
- Casi 1 de cada 5 estadounidenses será hispano en 2020 (19%).
- Cada 30 segundos, un hispano cumple 18 años.
- En 2020, los hispanos representaran más del 50% del total de crecimiento de la población.
How effective is that information? Not much I’d assume—if you don’t speak Spanish. So let’s try again.
- 1 out of every 4 babies born in the United States is Hispanic (25%).
- Nearly 1 in 5 Americans will be Hispanic by 2020 (19%).
- Every 30 seconds, a Hispanic turns 18.
- By 2020, Hispanics will account for more than 50% of the total U.S. population growth.
Now imagine if you’re a Spanish-speaking patient visiting an English-speaking physician. Trying to understand healthcare is difficult enough. Add in a different language with different cultural norms and it gets even harder. As marketers, we can do something about it that will help improve health outcomes and also build brands. Here’s a few considerations:
The unmet need for the patient is significant. Research shows that Hispanic patients face unique healthcare challenges, including:2
- Almost 30% of Hispanics have diabetes and that will more than double in the next decade.
- Cancer is the No. 1 cause of death among Hispanics and the No. 2 killer of Hispanic children.
- Among Mexican-American adults, age 20 and older, 32% have heart disease.
- Less than 6% of U.S. physicians are Hispanic, significantly underrepresented.
The opportunity for your brand is significant. When it comes to disease education, prevention, and medication, Hispanic consumers still turn to the most trusted source—their doctors, and 45% of Hispanics agree they only use drug brands recommended by their physicians.3 If the doctor’s office is where Hispanic consumers go for healthcare information, doesn’t it make sense to focus your marketing efforts at the point of care?
- $29 billion is the average spend of Hispanics in annual consumer healthcare, which is two times the rate of Non-Hispanics.3
- 27% Hispanic growth of prescription drug category vs. 1% growth for non-Hispanics.
- 77% of Hispanics feel underserved and wished brands reached out more (vs. 43% of non-Hispanics).
As your brand considers where to invest its marketing efforts this year, consider making your brand top-of-mind at the point of care for this underserved but growing Hispanic healthcare population.
Resources:
1. Census 2014 National Population Projections Pew Research Center as quoted in “Every 30 Seconds, a Latino Reaches Voting Age”, The Atlantic, 8/26/15.
2. Heart Disease, Statistical fact sheet 2013 update, heart.org; Bridging the gap in treatment for Hispanic Americans, www.hispanichealth.org/assets/resource_library/hispanic_report04.pdf; AAMC: Diversity in the Physician Work Force: Facts & Figures 2010; “Why Many Latinos Dread Going to the Doctor,” The Atlantic.
3. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure survey 2012; 7 Source is CultureFirst Curve Report 2016, Innerscope Research; PatientPoint Third-Party Research Results; Simmons Oneview Spring 2013 12-Month Study; The Curve Report by NBCUniversal; Simmons Winter 2016 NHCS Full Year Study, Hispanic A18+.
