Survey Data Elements to Unpack Diversity of Hispanic Populations

Publication Date: March 31, 2014
Current as of:

Introduction

The grouping "Hispanic" often makes it challenging to observe important social experiences that relate strongly to the needs, service experiences, and outcomes of interest to ACF for various Hispanic subgroups. Existing federal surveys do not consistently collect data to sufficiently examine how Hispanic ethnicity interacts with other socio-cultural experiences or how it relates to specific outcomes. Because current measurement is inadequate to differentiate characteristics within the Hispanic population, this brief presents ten additional data elements that will improve understanding of the diversity within low-income, Hispanic populations in the U.S., if included alongside demographic items that are typically collected in federal research surveys.