iarjhcpIARJHCPIARJHCP2789-604810.47310/iarjhcp.2025.v05i01.007GlucoGaps: Exploring Diabetes Awareness, Prevention Practices, and Misconceptions in District ShimlaBackground: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a growing global public health challenge, with India witnessing an alarming rise in its prevalence, particularly type 2 diabetes. Despite advances in diagnosis and management, major gaps in awareness, preventive practices, and misconceptions persist, especially in semi-urban and rural regions. In the Shimla district of Himachal Pradesh, shifting lifestyles and limited health literacy necessitate an evaluation of the community's understanding of diabetes to inform targeted public health interventions. Materials and Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional, online survey was conducted between January and March 2025 among 400 adult residents of Shimla district. Participants were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling via digital platforms. A pre-validated bilingual questionnaire assessed socio-demographic profiles, diabetes knowledge, lifestyle practices, and prevalent misconceptions. Correct responses were scored, and knowledge levels were categorized into "Very Good," "Good," "Fair," and "Poor." Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.0, applying descriptive statistics. Results: The majority of participants (38.8%) were aged 26–35 years, with a slight female predominance (52.3%) and a predominantly rural background (65.5%). Awareness regarding diabetes being a high blood sugar disorder (79.8%), the preventability of type 2 diabetes (76.5%), and the role of exercise (82.0%) and a balanced diet (83.5%) was high. However, misconceptions persisted regarding diabetes curability (68.3%), sugar avoidance (62.8%), and insulin use (60.5%). Knowledge scores revealed that 31.5% of participants had "Very Good" knowledge, 42.5% had "Good" knowledge, while 18.8% and 7.3% had "Fair" and "Poor" knowledge, respectively, highlighting significant gaps among nearly one-fourth of the population. Conclusion: Although general awareness regarding diabetes and its prevention among Shimla district residents is encouraging, critical misconceptions and knowledge gaps remain, particularly regarding disease management and symptom recognition. Strengthened, culturally tailored educational initiatives and community-driven interventions are urgently needed to bridge these gaps, promote healthier lifestyles, and enable early diagnosis and proactive diabetes management in the region.