2006 AARP Texas Survey: Comparing Awareness of Non-Hispanic and Hispanic AARP Texas Members

This survey of Texas AARP members explores and compares the concerns, priorities and interests of the Lone Star State's Hispanic and non-Hispanic members and defines their awareness of AARP.

In general, the survey found that both Hispanic and non-Hispanic members share the same major concerns:

• affording the cost of health care
• keeping pension benefits and savings safe
• staying in their own homes as they age
• having Medicare as their retirement health insurance
• affording the cost of prescription drugs

Hispanic members, however, tend to be more concerned about financial issues:

• affording daily living expenses
• housing costs
• utilities
• obtaining property tax relief
• good employment opportunities

Although about a third of the members surveyed say they have volunteered over the past year, Hispanic members express more interest in volunteering for AARP than do non-Hispanic members.

The opportunity to learn about issues that affect people age 50 and over is what motivates Hispanic members to become involved with AARP. In comparison, the opportunity to make a difference on issues that are important to them is what would motivate non-Hispanic members to volunteer.

The mail survey of 1,153 Texas non-Hispanic and self-identified Hispanic AARP members was conducted from October 5th through November 2nd, 2006. Further information about the survey may be obtained by contacting the report's co-author, Joanne Binette, at 202-434-6303. (57 pages)