Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Family Practice: Prevention and Screening

There is now a worldwide epidemic of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. It is a condition associated with numerous complications, which may well be present even at the time of diagnosis. Effective treatments are available but there is no known cure. The focus therefore is on both prevention and early detection by screening, with a view to preventing or delaying complications. This chapter gives a brief overview of the evidence for prevention of Type 2 Diabetes (behavioural and pharmacological) and describes various approaches to screening, from an international perspective, together with their relative advantages and disadvantages. Clinical opportunistic screening will be discussed and compared with population screening. The international guidance for screening for Type 2 Diabetes will be reviewed and a summary of the evidence relating to the psychological effects of screening, as well as the costs and cost-effectiveness of the various types of screening programmes, will be presented.