Blacks have traditionally experienced a disproportionate burden of diabetes in the United States. Research published from 1980 to 2008 revealed a paucity of diabetes education and management research targeting Black men. There is a paucity of published research that takes into consideration attributes of “being male,” such as masculinity, and how its attributes influence diabetes self-management behaviors. This article discusses three important factors that may help explain diabetes-related disparities among Black men. These factors include absence of consistent sources of health care, lack of health insurance, and the absence of a masculinity perspective in diabetes education and management research. This article offers a gender-centered ecological framework that examines pathways between demographic factors, family functioning, knowledge and psychological health, biological health, behavioral health and medical compliance, masculinity, and diabetes-related outcomes. Recommendations for future research that consider how aspects of masculinity might lead to the identification of gender-based risk factors are presented.

In Brief This article explores current discourse regarding the limitations of linear approaches to addressing diabetes prevention and control typically reported in efficacy investigations. The authors discuss the need for health professionals to understand the link between social determinants of health and health outcomes. They define social determinants of health, provide examples, and discuss how these social determinants affect minority health. This information can lead to the adoption of nontraditional strategies that involve the use of nontraditional partners and the identification of opportunities for improving or preventing negative health outcomes in communities affected by inequitable conditions.