A lot has—and hasn’t—changed since we first surveyed Hispanic and Latinx Coloradans for Pulse: The Colorado Health Foundation Poll in 2020. We're still facing the coronavirus pandemic—and are seeing the impacts ripple through our daily lives. Coloradans are less worried about the economy as a whole—but they’re concerned about how they can afford necessities. We're still having complex conversations about what supports people need—and are looking to our state leaders to do more.
Hispanic Coloradans make up 22% of the population and are the second largest demographic group in the state. Just this August, as part of the Pulse poll, we talked with 2,493 Coloradans, including 663 Hispanic adults, about their priorities and worries. As we work to bring better health in reach for all Coloradans, it’s vital that we pay attention to the experiences of Latinx Coloradans as the population, and our state, continues to grow.
1) Hispanic respondents are facing financial insecurity more than any other racial or ethnic group.
- More than 8 in 10 (83%) Hispanic Coloradans think the cost of living is an extremely or very serious problem in our state.
- That’s an increase from 72% of Hispanics respondents in 2020.
- For many Hispanic respondents, financial insecurity has gone beyond worry to serious impact on their daily lives.
- Fifteen percent of Hispanic Coloradans have changed their living arrangements in the last year because they couldn’t afford the rent or mortgage—more than double the number of White Coloradans (7%) who had to do the same.
- Fourteen percent of Hispanic adults have skipped meals in the last 12 months because they couldn’t afford food, and it’s more than a quarter (27%) for Hispanics living on low incomes.
2) Rising costs of housing, food and health care is on everyone’s minds. For Latinx Coloradans living on low incomes (people living on $50,000 a year or less) and Hispanic women, the pressure of financial insecurity is acute.
- A majority (53%) of those living on low incomes are concerned about losing their home because of inability to pay, including 39% of Latinas.
- Six in 10 Hispanics on lower incomes are worried about getting food on the table, plus nearly half (47%) Hispanic women.
- More than half (55%) Latinx Coloradans living on low incomes are worried about losing health insurance, including 46% of Latinas.
|
All Hispanic Coloradans |
Hispanics with Low Income |
Hispanic Men |
Hispanic Women |
||
|
Worried about losing their home |
33% |
53% |
Worried about losing their home |
27% |
39% |
|
Worried about affording food |
40% |
60% |
Worried about affording food |
34% |
47% |
|
Worried about going without health insurance |
41% |
55% |
Worried about going without health insurance |
35% |
46% |
3) Hispanic Coloradans want the state to do more to help those who are struggling.
- Nine in 10 Hispanic Coloradans support changing government regulations to make health insurance and other medical expenses more affordable.
- Almost 9 in 10 (89%) support increased investment to help get food on the table for Coloradans experiencing hunger.
- Eighty-seven percent want to see laws updated to prioritize building affordable housing.
These takeaways are just a glimpse into the experiences and priorities of Hispanic Coloradans. Across the state, Colorado’s multifaceted Latinx communities continue to face challenges worsened by the coronavirus pandemic, but still hold a drive to push the state to do better.
Learn more about Pulse: The Colorado Health Foundation Poll and use our interactive dashboard to dig deeper into the data. Want to know more but short on time? Read our blog post about the key findings from the 2021 data.