Nine out of Ten Physicians in India Agrees that Most Effective Treatment for Diabetes is Insulin Therapy

By 121 News

Chandigarh 07^th April:-  To mark World Health Day this year, Endocrine Society of India (ESI) in association with Novo Nordisk India commissioned an eight-city survey among physicians by IMRB. The objective of the survey was to understand the burden of diabetes in India and the optimum ways to treat and prevent.

Commenting on the survey, Melvin D'souza, Vice President & General Manager Novo Nordisk India Pvt Ltd said that this year, the theme for World Health Day is 'Beat Diabetes'.  In India, there is an immediate need for a concerted effort from all stakeholders involved to bring more awareness around diabetes and its staggering socio-economic burden. Diabetes should not be considered a disease rather a lifestyle related disorder that can be managed with simple modifications to one's lifestyle and food habits. With early detection and on-time treatment, people with diabetes can live a healthy life.

The burden of diabetes is reaching alarming proportions in India driven by rapid urbanisation and industrialisation. Stressful lifestyle, unhealthy eating habits and physical inactivity are some of the plausible reasons behind a growing percentage of Indians developing diabetes. According to International Diabetes Federation (IDF), one in 11 adults has diabetes.

Dr Shashank Joshi, President Endocrine Society of India said that it is alarming to note that in tier-1 cities, physicians are seeing a 200% increase in incidence levels of diabetes. Stress, lack of physical activity and sedentary lifestyle are some of the plausible reasons behind this unprecedented rise. It is heartening to note that help is at hand in the form of medications like insulin that allows people with diabetes to continue to live a healthy, complication free life. The survey has indicated that around 9 out 10 participants agreed that insulin is most effective in reducing blood glucose in people with diabetes. We need to make people with diabetes understand the nature of the disease and ensure adherence to the medical regime.

The survey further adds that currently only 1/3 people (one in three people with diabetes) with diabetes readily accept insulin when prescribed, with the biggest concern being fear and pain associated with taking injections. Although the participating physicians believed that these concern areas can be addressed by using modern insulin devices.

Approximately 75% participants feel that modern self-administration devices help diabetes management to a great extent and nearly 4/5 agree that such devices have significant benefits over conventional injection methods; averting the risk of hypoglycaemia being the biggest advantage.