# Standardized disease-related measures in diabetes research: results from a global consensus process

## TL;DR

This paper presents a global consensus on standardized measures for type 2 diabetes research to improve comparisons and implementation across different settings.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is a globally agreed-upon set of core and optional measures for type 2 diabetes research.

## Key findings

- Out of 153 measures, 49 were identified as core and 58 as optional for diabetes research.
- The selected measures cover domains like demographics, medical history, and quality of life.
- This standardized dataset can support transnational comparisons in diabetes research.

## Abstract

A lack of disease-related consensus measures for type 2 diabetes interventions is a barrier to comparing interventions across various contexts, as well as to implementation and scale-up. This study aimed to use an expert consensus approach to select disease-related measures for type 2 diabetes to facilitate cross-contextual research, as well as the implementation and scaling-up of initiatives.

The study was conducted using a two-phased cross-sectional design consisting of an online survey among research experts in 17 diabetes projects working in a global context, followed by an online modified Delphi panel comprised of reviewers with domain-specific expertise from different income settings who were not survey participants.

Out of 153 measures from 11 domains assessed, 49 were classified as core, 58 as optional, and 46 were excluded. The domains and measures spanned several categories, including demographics, medical history, medication adherence, health behaviors, anthropometric measures, biochemical measures, and quality-of-life-related issues.

The core dataset of selected measures in type 2 diabetes may provide a standardized approach for determining which data should be collected. This can facilitate transnational comparisons between or within implementation projects to advance global diabetes research.