---
title: "Data and Insights on Minority Populations"
description: "Our sample sizes for health surveys have been too small to do in-depth analysis on race/ethnicity and economic status. One challenge is that a significant portion of the respondent pool refuses to answer the household income question (the refusal..."
date: "2008-06-20"
authors:
  - name: "Susannah Fox"
    job_title: "Former Researcher"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/susannah-fox/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2008/06/20/data-and-insights-on-minority-populations/"
categories:
  - "Technology Adoption"
tags:
  - "Race and Ethnicity"
---

# Data and Insights on Minority Populations

Our sample sizes for health surveys have been too small to do in-depth analysis on race/ethnicity and economic status. One challenge is that a significant portion of the respondent pool refuses to answer the household income question (the refusal rate can be as high as 20%). So we use education levels as a proxy.

But the Pew Internet Project and other groups **do **have resources to share regarding minority populations, however you want to define them.

Browse through all of the Project's [reports ](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/reports.asp) and [presentations ](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/presentations.asp) to see if we mention your particular research interest ([older Americans](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/PPF/r/83/presentation_display.asp), those with [low access](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/PPF/r/231/report_display.asp) to technology, those living with [disability](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/PPF/r/222/report_display.asp), [rural ](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/PPF/r/176/report_display.asp)residents...)

Take a look at the chart on p. 4 in "[Online Health Search 2006](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/PPF/r/190/report_display.asp)" (our most recent general-population report on health).

Download the raw data sets for the [August 2006 survey](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/PPF/r/63/dataset_display.asp) and dig into the variables yourself (caution: you'll need [SPSS](http://www.spss.com/)).

View our "[access thermometers](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/PPF/r/223/presentation_display.asp)," which show disparities in cell phone ownership, basic internet, and home broadband access. (Previously blogged about [here](http://www.e-patients.net/archives/2008/02/degrees_of_acce.html).)

*(Join the conversation about these issues on [e-patients.net](http://www.e-patients.net/archives/2008/06/health_disparit.html).)*