Bilingual Mail Survey Approach to Examine Seafood Consumption Practices among Hispanics Living in Metropolitan New York

Abstract

Two bilingual mail surveys were used to assess seafood consumption habits of Hispanics living in metropolitan New York. Culturally sensitive survey instruments were developed through interviews with professionals, a site visit, a focus group, and personal interviews with representatives of the target audience. Questionnaires were mailed to households with Hispanic-sounding surnames randomly selected from the telephone directory. Response rates were 54% (Survey 1, n = 201) and 42% (Survey 2, n = 373), with more than half of the respondents answering the Spanish version of the questionnaire. Respondents to each survey represented more than 20 different countries of origin and a wide variety of socioeconomic characteristics. More than 80% of Survey 1 respondents ate some form of finfish at home at least once per month. Among the 97% of Survey 2 respondents who ate fish or shellfish, the mean seafood consumption in the past 2 weeks was 3.28 ± 2.15 times. Canned tuna and shrimp were the most popular fish and shellfish species consumed, and popularity of other species varied by country of origin. Data indicate that a bilingual mail survey approach and a food frequency instrument can be an effective means of gathering detailed information about food practices among a diverse Hispanic population.