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Research Article Volume 13 Issue 1
Impact of a RSSDI village adoption program on glycemic control in rural India: a community-based intervention study
Anuj Maheshwari, Narsingh Verma, Jalees Fatima, Ajoy Tewari, Amit Gupta, Rakesh Parikh, Sanjay Agarwal, Sajid Ansari, Anubha Srivastava, Shivendra Sinha, Shubhashree Patil, Nishant Kanodia, Nisha Maheshwari, Sabiha Ansari, Abhinav Verma, Pooja Kanodia, Vineeta Tewari, Shivam Verma, Sunil Gupta, Rajeev Chawla, Banshi Saboo, Aravinda Jagdeesha, Singh NK, Anil Virmani, Shivangi Maheshwari, Jay Tewari, Vijay Vishwanathan
Received: February 21, 2026 | Published: March 13, 2026
Citation: Maheshwari A, Verma N, Fatima J, et al. Impact of a RSSDI village adoption program on glycemic control in rural India: a community-based intervention study. J Diabetes Metab Disord Control. 2026;13(1):27-36. DOI: 10.15406/jdmdc.2026.13.00309
Abstract
Background: The burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is increasing in rural India, where limited access to screening, health education, and continuous care contributes to poor glycemic control. The Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI) Village Adoption Program was designed as a structured, community-based intervention integrating regular screening, health education, counseling, and glucometer-supported selfmonitoring. This pilot study assessed its impact on glycemic control in four rural villages in Uttar Pradesh. Methods: A retrospective, quasi-experimental community study was conducted in Daniyalpur, Kewadi, Mubarakpur, and Safedabad between 2019 and 2023. Random Blood Sugar (RBS) values recorded during screening camps were analyzed at baseline (2019) and follow-up (2023). Annual means were derived from 12 months of data. Betweenyear comparisons were performed using Welch’s t-test, and effect sizes were calculated using Cohen’s d. Within-year (first 6 vs. next 6 months) analyses evaluated short-term intervention effects. Glycemic stability was assessed using coefficient of variation (CV). Results: Overall mean RBS declined from 165.95 mg/dL (2019; n=201) to 150.10 mg/dL (2023; n=216), a non-significant reduction of 9.55% (p=0.1436). Significant improvements were observed in Mubarakpur (−27.11%, p=0.0030) and Kewadi (−24.85%, p=0.0015), with marked reductions in variability (CV 7.20% and 4.56% in 2023). Safedabad showed modest improvement, while Daniyalpur demonstrated elevated annual mean RBS in 2023 but significant within-year improvement after program resumption. Across villages, significant within-year reductions were observed in both 2019 and 2023. Conclusion: The RSSDI Village Adoption Program demonstrates that a structured, community-based model can achieve rapid and clinically meaningful improvements in glycemic control in rural settings, with sustained benefits in engaged communities.
Keywords: Type 2 diabetes mellitus, rural health intervention, community-based screening, glycemic control, village adoption program
©2026 Maheshwari, et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.