Definitions of independent variables.

Diabetes mellitus is a significant contributor to the disease burden in Sri Lanka. Despite government efforts to improve access to care for those with chronic illness, major gaps remain. We assessed the prevalence and correlates of unmet needs among persons with diabetes mellitus type 2 to inform policies on improving healthcare access in a predominantly tax-funded public healthcare system. A descriptive cross-sectional study identified 401 persons with diabetes mellitus type 2 using a multi-stage cluster sampling method from 1767 individuals aged 40–69 from the Gampaha district, just north of the capital Colombo. An interviewer-administered questionnaire gathered data on unmet needs for physician care, medicines, and investigations during the preceding year. Associated factors, identified from the health behaviour model, were examined using binomial logistic regression with significance set at p