ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on type 2 diabetes, which is the primary focus of prevention and treatment research with men. It offers an analysis and delineation of the current state of research regarding the distribution and determinants of type 2 diabetes for men, while also addressing issues of diversity. Type 2 diabetes develops when the body’s cells become resistant to insulin. Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas that allows glucose (sugar) to enter the body’s cells and to be converted to energy. Racial and ethnic minority men also experience masculinity differently than non-Latino White men, which has critical implications for diabetes-related health behaviors. Yet a dearth of research exists that examines the influence of masculinity on health behaviors that are specific to diabetes. Regarding the critical intersection of race, gender, mental health, and diabetes, additional attention is needed to identify predictors of delayed mental health help-seeking among men managing diabetes and to highlight racial disparities at the aforementioned intersections.
