Page 6 - WhitePaper_MC&I Benchmark in Covid19 Era

that exacerbate their risk of COVID-19 hospitalizations and death (Hispanic/Latino Americans
and Type 2 Diabetes, 2019). Also of note, is the fact that Hispanics over-index in having a lack
of access to health care, which makes them more vulnerable to health impacts. Furthermore,
Hispanics are more likely to live in multigenerational households, putting at risk not only
those having to work outside of the home, but their families as well (Cohn, 2018). To reach this
segment effectively with important information about how to protect oneself and one’s family
from COVID-19, in-language information is more important than ever. It’s important to note that
Hispanics are increasingly leaning into their cultural truths and celebrating their resilience and
collective strength in the face of hardship. (Media and Consumer Insights Update – April 27th,
2020, 2020). This means that culture and language are of utmost importance to effectively reach
this segment.

The LGBTQ+ community is experiencing a wide range of impacts. LGBTQ+ individuals are
twice as likely to work in industries heavily affected by the pandemic: 40 percent depend on
restaurants/bars/food service, hospitals, K–12 education, college and universities, and retail
sectors (Human Rights Campaign, 2020). Additionally, LGBTQ+ youth are 120 percent more likely
to experience homelessness, a living condition that greatly exacerbates the impacts and risks
of the pandemic (Voices of Youth Count, 2017). Many LGBTQ+ seniors are alone and isolated as
they are twice as likely to be living by themselves and four times less likely to have children
(Sage USA, 2018). Digital communities are particularly important for the LGBTQ+ community, so
they can maintain connectedness in times where they may feel increasingly isolated, especially
when disconnected from their biological families.

For people with disabilities, the pandemic
makes living conditions even more diffi cult.
Conditions of blindness, deafness, issues with
physical dexterity, and cognitive disabilities
greatly affect one’s ability to navigate the
pandemic. For example, such conditions
may make one unable to read lips due to the
usage of masks and make social distancing
more diffi cult, or these individuals may need
information to be in an easily readable format.
Individuals with disabilities may have physical barriers to implementing the safety and hygiene
measures recommended during the pandemic. There are also important concerns about access
to services for pre-existing conditions (World Health Organization, 2020).

MC&I consumers have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, experiencing a range
of short- and long-term health, social, and economic impacts. With an increasing need for
MC&I consumers’ cultural truths to be authentically refl ected, MC&I marketing efforts are
greatly important.

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