Multidisciplinary Care Programs And Health Outcomes In Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Scoping Review Of The Evidence

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major global health challenge, with Nigeria and other sub-Saharan African countries experiencing a rapidly rising burden. Multidisciplinary care programs (MDPs), involving physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, diabetes educators, and psychosocial support providers, are internationally recommended to improve glycaemic control, reduce complications, and enhance patient-centred outcomes. This scoping review synthesises evidence on the composition, delivery models, and effects of multidisciplinary diabetes care programs. Findings show modest but clinically meaningful reductions in HbA1c (−0.3 to −0.8%), improved blood pressure and lipid profiles, and substantial reductions in diabetic foot amputations (30–60%) with condition-specific teams. Patient-centred outcomes such as quality of life, self-care behaviours, satisfaction, and adherence consistently improve, while economic analyses report reduced hospitalisations and cost savings of 8– 20%. However, evidence from Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa remains sparse, with few rigorous randomised controlled trials, limited tertiary-hospital data, and scarce long-term outcome or cost-effectiveness evaluations. The review highlighted the need for locally grounded, adequately powered studies to strengthen the evidence base for multidisciplinary diabetes care in Nigeria and SubSaharan Africa.