Diabetes prevalence in urban India soars, with 30% rise in diagnosed population in four years, says GfK HealthCare

The prevalence of diabetes in urban India is accelerating at a rapid rate and now stands at 5.5% (just under 20 million people), compared with 4.6% in 2007 - equivalent to a 30% increase in actual population numbers over the last four years - according to new research by GfK HealthCare’s Roper Global Diabetes Group. Moreover, a full 10% of these patients have been diagnosed in the past 12 months.

According to GfK HealthCare’s 2011 Roper Global Diabetes Patient Study for India, insulin use has also made steady gains in India over the past decade - trending at almost a 50% increase - with current rates at 23%, up from 16% in 2001. Patients in India, more so than other emerging markets, depend to a high degree on a third party for administration of insulin (friend, relative or health care provider). Although 57% of patients self-inject, the remainder are injected either by a friend or relative (24%) or their health care provider (19%).

In the non-insulin sector, the use of oral medication (OAA) has remained at around 80% of diabetes patients in India over the last four years. Of note, although the Indian market has traditionally been comprised of patients on OAA monotherapy, 2011 figures show nearly 60% are on combination therapy, up significantly from the 2001 figures of 35%.