This article describes the primary health care offered to 8118 service users with diabetes in Brazil based on data from the PMAQ (Program to Improve Primary Care Access and Quality) first survey. Structure, access, service organization and management, and clinical care quality were analyzed. Prevalence of self-reported receipt of appropriate treatment was 14.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 13.4-15.2). Following adjustment, it was 26% higher (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.26; 95% CI: 1.04-1.54) when primary health care centers had all the structure items investigated, it was 13% higher (PR = 1.13; 95% CI: 1.00-1.29) when the teams' work process for service organization and management was adequate and it was 14% higher (PR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.00-1.30) when the teams' clinical practice was adequate.