Our country is stressed. In fact, 42% of the 8,453 U.S. adults we surveyed -- using a nationally representative online sample -- in March/April '09 strongly or somewhat agreed with the statement "I feel stressed most of the time." But among Hispanics, agreement was even higher, at 50%; this can manifest itself in mistrust of the country's financial sector and, in the case of Hispanics, participation in it.
Given the growth in the U.S. Hispanic population, their participation in the financial sector can positively affect our country's wealth. We must move beyond the heavy research focus on the percentage of the Hispanics who are "unbanked" to an understanding as well of financial participation and what communication methods to reach Hispanics might be effective. By doing so, our research can contribute to faster economic growth, and we just may improve the incentives that Hispanic households have to take part more broadly in financial services and investing -- and, thus, improve standards of living and prospects for longer-term economic growth. READ FULL STORY
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