Preventive men’s health campaigns generally center the same story: men wait too long, avoid the doctor, and only take symptoms seriously once they can’t be ignored.
But when we zoom in on multicultural audiences – especially Black and Hispanic men – we see a more complex and urgent situation.
Across the United States, diverse men face a combination of cultural norms, provider bias, systemic barriers, and linguistic gaps that make preventive care feel out of reach. Even when preventive services exist, the messaging doesn’t resonate and providers fail to build trust.
At THE 3RD EYE, we partner with brands to close the communication gap between care and culture – because preventive men’s health should feel accessible and culturally grounded.
So, why aren’t messages connecting? And what will it take to shift this narrative?
Key Takeaways: Why This Is a Silent Crisis
- Preventive care engagement is historically lower among Black and Hispanic men.
- Cultural norms like machismo and stigma shape men’s willingness to seek care.
- Black and Hispanic men report lower-quality communication with providers.
- Creative, culturally attuned storytelling can reframe preventive care as powerful rather than passive.
- Brands must bridge the divide between medical intent and cultural interpretation.
The Communication Gap No One Is Talking About
Multicultural men avoiding preventive care is, at its core, a crisis of communication. Because, ultimately, communication determines participation.
A patient-centered communication study found that Hispanic/Latino men scored significantly lower than White men in doctor–patient communication (B = –0.31; p<.001). And for Black men, discriminatory experiences (B = –0.44; p<.001) were one of the strongest predictors of poor communication (PLOS).
When men feel:
- misunderstood,
- disrespected,
- spoken down to,
- or stereotyped,
they can’t build trust.
This dynamic isn’t new. But now, we can quantify it.
In this 2024 study, researchers reaffirm:
“Men continue to utilize preventive health services less than women… and Black and Hispanic men are less likely to use these services.”
The communication gap is clear, and brands must urgently address through empathetic, culturally attuned storytelling.
The Numbers Don’t Lie: Disparities Are Widening
Research consistently shows more severe outcomes for Black and Hispanic men—outcomes that routine screenings could mitigate.
Prostate cancer
Black men face:
- About a 60% higher incidence
- 2.2x higher risk of death compared with White men.
Source: Lillard Jr et al., 2022
Colorectal cancer
Black men
- Face a 44% higher rate of CRC than non-Hispanic White men.
(Source: Zaire et al, 2025)
- Just 35% know CRC goes undetected until late stages due to mild symptoms, compared to 52% of White counterparts
- Only 29% understand CRC is very preventable, compared to 46% of White counterparts
(Source: Alliance survey 2025)
For Hispanic men,
- Just 38% know CRC goes undetected until late stages due to mild symptoms, compared to 52% of White counterparts
- Only 36% understand CRC is very preventable, compared to 46% of White counterparts
(Source: Alliance survey 2025)
And yet, when you place Black and White men in the same community with equal access, the differences shrink dramatically.
In an integrated Baltimore community, researchers found that:
“African American men had greater odds of participating in physical, dental, and eye examinations… and having been screened for colon and prostate cancer than White men.”
This means that when access and communication are equal, engagement increases.
Why Messaging Isn’t Landing: The Missed Cultural Layer
Campaigns too often rely on:
- clinical language,
- fear-based messaging,
- or generic “men’s health” tropes.
Multicultural men need something different: preventive care that is masculine and aspirational yet still relatable. At THE 3RD EYE, we’ve seen the shift that happens when campaigns center culture — not just data.
What Brands Can Do Right Now
1. Reframe preventive care as powerful.
Multicultural men need storytelling that aligns with their identity. They need a reminder that preventive health has nothing to do with weakness. It’s about longevity and legacy.
2. Speak directly to cultural norms without shaming them.
Acknowledge masculinity or machismo as influences and not flaws. They can be a starting point to offering a reframed narrative.
3. Use culturally rooted creatives.
Barbershops, community centers, faith institutions, and sports communities all act as trust channels. Find where your multicultural male patients are in your community. Then partner with them or reach out with educational materials.
Participants in the Hunter et al. study noted the impact of community health workers.
4. Elevate family voices.
A partner’s nudge is often more impactful than a doctor’s.
Participants in the Hunter et al. study also specifically noted the impact of family members (especially women partners), and personal networks as motivators for screening.
5. Write for the communication gap.
Remember the finding:
“Black and Hispanic/Latino men report lower-quality communication with providers compared to White men.” PLOS
This reality means we’re working at a disadvantage, so the messaging must do double work: educate and build trust.
Our Role: Bridging Care & Culture
This is the work we do every day.
As a Hispanic-owned agency specializing in multicultural health, THE 3RD EYE helps brands:
- translate clinical intent into cultural resonance,
- uncover insights from lived experiences,
- design campaigns rooted in trust,
- and build preventive health initiatives that meet communities where they are.
Our approach acknowledges an essential truth:
Preventive care is only effective when people feel seen. And when it comes to preventive health, multicultural men have gone unseen for far too long.
Reach out to us at THE 3RD EYE Agency to talk about messaging about preventive care for multicultural audiences. [INTERNAL: email link]
