Diabetes self-care in primary health facilities in India - challenges and the way forward

Core Tip

Core tip: Public primary care facilities in India, especially in rural and suburban areas, are frequently unable to deliver patient-centered care for diabetes self-management through education and support due to the lack of trained diabetes educators and team-based support, and the absence of community linkages. Studies from Indian primary care facilities indicate the high prevalence of suboptimal medication adherence, poor glycemic status, clinical inertia, poor patient knowledge of diabetes, lack of depression screening and inadequate assistance for tobacco cessation. Developing prospective registries with predefined data standards in Indian primary care facilities is essential for enabling clinical audits and monitor the quality of patient care.