Culture is critical with health communication

I've mentioned on a few occasions on latino lingo that one of the biggest mistakes made by companies trying to reach the Hispanic market is focusing solely on language. Culture is a critical factor in purchasing decisions, and needs to be addressed in communication in industries such as health care.

A current example is a PR Newswire article on Drug News Wire that releases a study on the misperceptions about Alzheimer's Disease among Hispanics (and Blacks). The study, done by Harris Interactive for the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, shows that:

-- Hispanic caregivers, "consider the disease a normal part of the aging process and dismiss its symptoms as part of getting older."
-- Religion and spirituality tend to play an important role in the lives of caregivers, from seeking support to making health care decisions

So, communicating to these groups using general market messages will not address the cultural and religious considerations.