Abstract
South Asians living in the United States experience disproportionately higher rates of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) as compared to other groups. Prior research demonstrates that diabetes education improves health outcomes. This study assesses U.S. South Asian knowledge about T2DM. This cross-sectional study was conducted from August 1st to August 14th, 2024, and utilized two previously validated surveys. Eligibility criteria involved being a South Asian and a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Participants were recruited via snowball sampling through social media platforms. The 22 survey questions were grouped into three categories: diabetes general knowledge (DK), diabetes management (DM), and complication management (CM). A total of 215 of the 219 survey respondents met inclusion criteria. 17 of the 22 survey items were answered correctly by more than 80% of participants. DK questions were answered with the lowest average accuracy (80.7%). Participants diagnosed with T2DM and healthcare workers answered questions with statistically higher accuracy in more than one question category in the univariate analysis (e.g., in the DK category: p = 0.0225, Cohen’s d = 0.42, and p = 0.0002, Cohen’s d = 0.60, respectively), and these findings remained largely consistent after adjusting for other variables in the multivariate analysis. The two most frequently missed questions were related to hypoglycemic symptoms. This study is limited by the use of convenience sampling, which may reduce generalizability to the broader U.S. South Asian population. Future research goals involve gathering a more representative sample of U.S. South Asians, as this study involved a predominantly Indian and highly educated subpopulation, and investigating the utility of community-based initiatives for T2DM education and promotion of healthy behaviors.
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This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Western University of Health Sciences (2207366-3). The survey introduction detailed that survey completion was voluntary, and results were anonymous. It also explained that survey completion would serve as informed consent for participants’ results to be used in future presentations and publications.
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Peter, E., Sripathi, P., Srivastava, A. et al. Type 2 diabetes mellitus Awareness in a Sample of South Asians in the United States. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-52175-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-52175-6
