Diabetes screening as part of a vascular disease risk management programme

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a growing public health concern worldwide. There is the potential to prevent type 2 diabetes mellitus by lifestyle interventions including increased physical activity, dietary modification and weight reduction in the obese therefore screening for diabetes can be beneficial. This case study discusses two methods used for diabetes screening as part of a population wide vascular risk management programme in an island community off the west coast of Scotland. The programme was delivered to individuals aged 40 to 79 years who met the inclusion criteria using a combined service delivery model including a multifunctional mobile unit across a remote and rural location. The change from using random plasma glucose to using the haemoglobin A(1c) (HbA(1c)) assay improved recommended follow rates for patients with a positive screen and reduced the burden on primary care and the hospital laboratory.