Low rates of clinical diagnosis of diabetes are often a result of insufficient access to healthcare and lower capacity in existing health systems. A serious concern is that people with diabetes diagnosed later, rather than earlier, are likely to use more healthcare services due to greater likelihood of diabetes complications, placing an added burden on healthcare systems already under pressure.
It is fundamental for people with diabetes to be diagnosed as early as possible to prevent or delay complications, avoid a premature death and improve quality of life. In 2021, almost one-in-two (44.7% 239.7 million) adults living with diabetes (20–79 years old) were found to be unaware of their status. For countries with either low-quality or no in-country data on undiagnosed diabetes (147 countries, 68.4%), the prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes was estimated (see Chapter 2). There were 111 available data sources on the prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes, representing 68 countries.
