Explanatory models of diabetes in the U.S. and Mexico: The patient-provider gap and cultural competence

► Compares explanatory models of diabetes for patient, community, and physician samples in the US and Mexico. ► A multi-method approach facilitates a detailed comparison across samples and identifies more themes than previous studies. ► Physician and lay models in Mexico had the most differences, even with a shared language and culture. ► There is a gap between lay and physicians views even without national or linguistic differences. ► Study informs concepts of cultural competence in clinical care.