Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background and Aims
Type 2 diabetes mellitus remains a major public health challenge in Australia. This cross‐sectional pilot feasibility study evaluated the feasibility of pharmacy‐led diabetes screening in rural New South Wales and examined diabetes knowledge, AUSDRISK, and follow‐up behavior after referral.
Methods
This was a 5‐month (January–May 2023) cross‐sectional pilot feasibility study conducted across community pharmacies within Western New South Wales LHD. Pharmacies were enrolled, into the study following expression of interest. Point‐of‐care HbA1c and/or random blood glucose (RBG) testing was conducted for eligible participants. All individuals with abnormal results were referred to general practitioners (GP) and followed up by a clinician. Descriptive analysis was performed using R (version 4.3.1). All tests were two‐sided with
α
= 0.05.
Results
Of the 17 enrolled pharmacies, 9 completed the study with a total of 116 adults recruited from the participating pharmacies. Ninety‐five participants completed the Diabetes Knowledge Questionnaire and AUSDRISK assessment. Seventy‐six percent (76.6% [95% CI: 67.1%, 84.0%]) were classified as high risk using AUSDRISK. Fifty‐seven percent (57.7% [95% CI: 47.7%, 67.2%]) had elevated HbA1c and/or RBG levels. Following GP referral, only 15% attended follow‐up testing. Among attendees, 44% were diagnosed with diabetes.
Conclusion
Pharmacy‐based diabetes screening is operationally feasible in rural Australia and identifies substantial undiagnosed diabetes. However, effective linkage to primary care remains a significant challenge.