Point-of-care Capillary HbA1c Testing for Type 2 Diabetes Screening Among At-risk Individuals in Rural Dali, China

Inclusion Criteria:

• Aged 18 years or above;
• Permanent residents of Dali City who have lived locally for at least six consecutive months;
• Registered as rural residents;
• No known history of diabetes;
• Meet at least one of the high-risk criteria for T2DM specified in the Chinese Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Diabetes issued by the Chinese Diabetes Society;
• Able to understand the study information and provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Known history of T2DM or currently receiving glucose-lowering treatment;
• HbA1c testing with a clear result within the past three months, or completion of standardised diabetes screening within the past six months;
• Pregnant or breastfeeding at the time of recruitment;
• Active thyroid disease or other active endocrine disorders at recruitment, such as Cushing's syndrome or acromegaly;
• Known haemoglobinopathy, severe anaemia, recent acute blood loss, or history of blood transfusion or blood donation within the past three months;
• Currently receiving treatment that may substantially affect interpretation of HbA1c, such as erythropoietin therapy or recent high-dose iron therapy.