"Diabetes mellitus and Comorbidity: Studies in Indian Primary Healthcare Diabetes in Indian Primary care" 

Keywords: Diabetes; comorbidity; LMIC; primarycare

Diabetes comorbidity management a challenge for primarycare in low- and middle-income countries

The present study explored the various dimensions of diabetes comorbidity in primarycare in low- and middle-income country settings. This study was conducted in the primarycare facilities of Bhubaneshwar, the capital city of the state of Odisha (India). This thesis found that comorbidity is highly prevalent among diabetes patients. Diabetes patients with comorbidity incur almost double the out of expenditure than patients with only diabetes for their healthcare management. Comorbidity affects the health-related quality of life among diabetes patients. Symptomatic comorbidities have greater impact on the health-related quality of life. Primarycare physicians felt the need for training to manage diabetes patients with comorbidities. Though the primarycare facilities had provision of few basic medicines and tests for common comorbidities, there was little or no provision for management of multiple comorbidities.