Social determinants of health among African-American men

The health disparities among African-American men are staggering when compared to other racial, ethnic, and gender groups in the United States. While there have been considerable efforts to eliminate health disparities in recent years, disparity elimination efforts have often focused on changing health behavior with regard to African-American men, and grave health disparities continue to exist among this population. This article argues that a consideration of the social determinants of health among African-American men is long overdue. It highlights the serious health disparities among this population, and considers the social determinants of health of African-American men in relation to health status, health behavior, and health care. Finally, suggestions are offered for addressing the social determinants of health among African-American men. (C) 2010 WPMH GmbH. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.