Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan ranked second among 20 countries in satisfaction with the public healthcare system, with 82% of residents rating its performance positively in 2026, up 13 percentage points from a year earlier. At the same time, 55% of the population uses artificial intelligence for health-related questions, although most people still trust doctors with final medical decisions. The findings are presented in the international STADA Health Report 2026.
Satisfaction rises by 13 percentage points
The average satisfaction rate across all countries surveyed was 56%, meaning Uzbekistan’s result was 26 percentage points higher. The share of respondents giving the highest ratings also increased significantly: 22% of residents said they were completely satisfied with the healthcare system, compared with 7% in 2025 and 10% across the survey on average. Another 60% were rather satisfied with its performance. A total of 14% of respondents rated the system negatively, compared with 42% across the 20 countries on average. Of these, 10% were rather dissatisfied and 4% were completely dissatisfied, while another 4% were unable to answer.
Uzbekistan’s trend differs from the overall pattern. Average satisfaction across the survey fell from 58% in 2025 to 56% in 2026, while in Uzbekistan it increased from 69% to 82%. The highest satisfaction level was recorded in Belgium at 86%, while the lowest was recorded in Hungary at 27%.
Unlike the survey average, where men rate the system slightly higher than women, at 59% versus 53%, the picture in Uzbekistan is the opposite: 86% of women and 78% of men expressed positive views of healthcare. Satisfaction remains high across all age groups, at 85% among respondents aged 18–34 and 80% among those aged 35–54 and over 55. At the same time, the share of dissatisfied respondents gradually increases with age, from 11% among younger people to 18% among respondents over 55.
Artificial intelligence as a second opinion
The main focus of this year’s study was the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare. In Uzbekistan, 55% of residents use AI, matching the average across all countries. The way it is used differs, however: residents of Uzbekistan most often turn to AI to obtain an additional opinion after visiting a doctor. This is the case for 21% of respondents, compared with 16% on average. Another 15% each use AI to better understand a diagnosis and to receive recommendations on lifestyle, nutrition and physical activity, while 14% use it to prepare for a consultation with a specialist. Some 10% each turn to AI before visiting a pharmacy and for a preliminary assessment of their condition, while 7% seek psychological and emotional support and 5% use it to monitor chronic conditions and receive medication reminders.
AI use varies significantly by age. Among respondents under 35, 69% use it, compared with 54% in the 35–54 age group and 27% among people aged 55 and older. Unlike the overall survey pattern, where people with poor mental health use AI somewhat more often, the situation in Uzbekistan is reversed: AI is used by 43% of respondents who rate their mental health as poor and 57% of those who consider their mental health good. The difference by income level is small, at 56% among financially well-off residents and 52% among those experiencing financial difficulties.
The study’s authors note that AI is used more actively in countries with lower satisfaction with healthcare: 74% of residents in both Romania and Serbia use it, while the figure in Kazakhstan is 71%. In Uzbekistan, AI adoption is taking place against a backdrop of high trust in the healthcare system, so the technology is viewed more as an additional source of information and support than as a way to compensate for shortcomings in healthcare.
Doctors trusted more than algorithms
Residents of Uzbekistan are more cautious than the survey average about replacing a visit to a doctor with AI advice. Some 45% are willing to consider such an option, compared with 58% on average. Of these, 16% would agree to use AI only as a second opinion, 13% only for certain issues, 9% provided that the recommendations are subsequently checked by a medical professional, and only 8% would be ready to do so without additional conditions. Half of the country’s residents are not yet prepared to replace a consultation with a doctor with an AI consultation. At the same time, 39% of respondents rely exclusively on doctors and other healthcare professionals, the highest figure among all countries in the survey. For comparison, the figure is 36% in Ireland and 35% in Belgium.
A similar pattern can be seen in attitudes toward diagnoses. Some 46% of Uzbekistan’s residents are willing to trust an AI-generated diagnosis to some extent, compared with 49% on average. Of these, 22% would trust such a diagnosis if the system were certified by authorised health authorities, 17% if the diagnosis were explained clearly and understandably, and 8% already trust AI as much as they trust a doctor. At the same time, 47% said they would never trust an AI diagnosis on an equal footing with a specialist’s diagnosis, while another 6% were unable to answer.
When preparing a personalised treatment plan, 30% of residents would prefer AI to assist the doctor while leaving the final review and adjustment to the specialist. On average, 44% of survey participants chose this model. Some 37% of Uzbekistan’s residents trust only decisions made by humans, compared with 24% on average. A total of 12% are ready to fully entrust treatment-plan preparation to AI, compared with 6% on average, while 13% consider standard treatment protocols safer.
Concerns and protection of medical data
Concerns related to AI in healthcare are less pronounced in Uzbekistan than the survey average. The risk of errors and incorrect diagnoses worries 34% of residents, compared with 54% on average; reduced face-to-face interaction in healthcare concerns 26% versus 38%; use of medical data without a person’s knowledge concerns 18% versus 41%; and algorithmic bias concerns 9% versus 32%. In addition, 25% are concerned about growing human dependence on technology, 21% about declining doctors’ qualifications, and 13% each about the excessive role of AI in decision-making and deteriorating communication between patients and medical professionals. Some 16% of residents have no concerns at all.
The protection of medical data remains the most sensitive issue for residents of Uzbekistan. Some 33% of respondents are willing to give AI full access to their medical history, compared with 43% across the survey. Of these, 15% agree only with strict access restrictions, 12% without additional conditions, and 6% if the system is not owned by a private company. Another 18% would first like to better understand how their data will be stored and used. Concerned that the information could fall into the wrong hands, 50% of residents are not willing to give AI access to their medical information, compared with 27% across the survey on average.
What residents expect from AI
At least one use of AI in healthcare is supported by 72% of Uzbekistan’s residents, compared with 82% on average. The most acceptable scenario is consultations involving AI, supported by 31%. Some 28% are ready to use AI for appointment scheduling and subsequent follow-up, while 18% each support using it to keep records during consultations, monitor chronic conditions and prepare discharge documents. A total of 28% of respondents do not accept the involvement of AI in healthcare.
Residents primarily expect practical benefits from further AI adoption. Some 25% expect faster diagnosis, 24% improved access to healthcare, including in rural and remote areas, 17% more equal access to quality care, and 16% more accurate forecasts. Another 15% each expect AI to help doctors obtain up-to-date medical knowledge faster and reduce the cost of treatment, while 12% expect a reduction in the number of medical errors. Another 29% do not yet have specific expectations regarding AI.
At the same time, residents of Uzbekistan believe the role of healthcare professionals will only grow. Some 38% believe specialists will become even more important thanks to personal communication and human trust, compared with 30% across the survey. Another 29% expect an increase in digital and remote consultations, while 25% believe doctors and pharmacists will more often act as consultants and interpreters of AI recommendations. Some 21% expect the role of medical professionals to decline because of AI, while another 11% foresee no major changes.
Prevention: high assessment, low participation
One of the most notable discrepancies identified by the study concerns prevention. Some 57% of Uzbekistan’s residents positively assess the healthcare system’s support for preventive care, compared with 46% on average. However, only 16% of respondents undergo all available preventive screenings, while 36% undergo some of them and 48% do not undergo any. Across the survey, the corresponding figures are 18%, 49% and 33%. Participation in screening in Uzbekistan has declined noticeably in recent years: the share of those undergoing all screenings fell from 38% in 2023 to 31% in 2025 and 16% in 2026, while the share undergoing none increased from 25% to 39% and 48%.
Environment and lifestyle instead of waiting times
The structure of the problems residents of Uzbekistan consider most important also differs from the overall picture. While a shortage of medical staff and long waiting times for care rank first across the survey, cited by 67% on average, only 35% of respondents in Uzbekistan identify this as a major issue. Residents of the country consider environmental and climate factors — environmental pollution, climate change and related health risks — the main challenge. This was cited by 52% of respondents. Obesity and an unhealthy lifestyle ranked second at 44%. The affordability of healthcare concerns 21% of residents, compared with 43% on average; population ageing and the spread of chronic diseases concern 25% versus 56%; and the growing number of people with mental health problems concerns 29% versus 53%.
Digital healthcare: high assessment and high demand
The study identifies a combination of high satisfaction and high demand in the area of digitalisation. Some 52% of Uzbekistan’s residents believe the healthcare system adequately supports their need for digital tools, including telemedicine and healthcare apps, compared with 28% on average. At the same time, the same 52% identify insufficient development of digital infrastructure as a serious problem, the highest figure among all countries surveyed. The figure is 45% in France, 44% in Switzerland and 40% in the United Kingdom. The report’s authors say the figures are not contradictory: existing digital services are highly rated, but the population expects them to develop further.
If you became health minister
Asked what they would do first if appointed health minister, 59% of Uzbekistan’s residents chose improving healthcare in rural and underserved areas. Some 36% would increase access to primary healthcare, while 35% would reduce waiting times and increase the number of medical specialists. Improving medical and social care for older people was cited by 33%, promoting a healthy lifestyle and combating obesity by 31%, and improving working conditions for healthcare workers by 27%.
Confidence in their own abilities
Amid the flow of medical information, residents of Uzbekistan feel more confident than the survey average. Some 40% believe they can confidently find and understand the health information they need, compared with 22% on average. Of these, 16% feel very confident and another 24% are rather confident in their abilities. Information overload is experienced by 37% of Uzbekistan’s residents, compared with 46% on average. At the same time, 20% acknowledge that medical information can sometimes be confusing, while 17% say there is so much of it that identifying reliable sources is becoming more difficult.
Some 85% of Uzbekistan’s residents are confident that they fully or largely control their health, compared with 78% across the survey. On this measure, the country is second only to the United Kingdom at 89%. A total of 45% of respondents feel they have full control over their health, compared with 13% on average, while another 40% largely control it. Insufficient control is reported by 16% of residents, compared with 22% on average.
At least one form of health self-monitoring is used by 89% of Uzbekistan’s residents, compared with 85% on average. Blood pressure monitors are the most common, used by 50% of respondents. Health mobile apps are used by 25%, tests and self-diagnostic tools by 20%, fitness trackers and smartwatches by 19%, and smart scales by another 19%. Some 11% of residents use none of the listed tools.
Self-medication and its risks
Self-medication is as widespread in Uzbekistan as in other countries: 92% of residents are willing to self-medicate in at least one situation, compared with 94% on average. The most common conditions treated independently are cold or runny nose symptoms, at 64%, and mild pain, at 59%. Less often, residents self-treat mild gastrointestinal problems and sleep disorders, at 16% each, allergies, anxiety and stress, at 14% each, and skin problems, at 10%. The main reason for self-medication, cited by 49% of respondents, is their own experience and knowledge of what works for them. Some 25% cited a desire to avoid long waits for medical care, compared with 47% on average; 17% cited an inability to regularly pay for doctor visits, compared with 13%; and only 5% cited distrust of doctors and medical institutions. At the same time, 33% are concerned about an incorrect diagnosis and inappropriate treatment when self-medicating, while 32% worry about medication dosage errors. Some 22% of Uzbekistan’s residents have already had a negative experience with self-medication, more than twice the average figure of 9%.
Who influences health decisions
Doctors and other medical professionals remain the main source of influence on health decisions in Uzbekistan, with 55% of respondents saying they take their views into account. They are followed by a partner or spouse at 53%, family members at 49%, pharmacists and pharmacy employees at 43%, cultural and religious beliefs at 39%, the state at 31%, online forums and communities at 24%, and bloggers and influencers at 22%. The influence of professional medical sources in the country is below the survey average, where 77% take doctors’ opinions into account and 57% consider pharmacists’ views. By contrast, the role of cultural and religious beliefs is twice the average level of 19%, while the influence of the state is more than twice the average of 14%.
Some 48% of Uzbekistan’s residents believe individuals themselves should bear primary responsibility for health awareness. Another 41% each assign the leading role to medical professionals and the state, 32% to families and parents, and 18% to schools and universities.
Face-to-face communication with a specialist remains the preferred format for residents in key situations. Some 80% prefer to undergo preventive screenings in person, compared with 83% on average; 75% prefer an in-person doctor consultation, compared with 79%; and 57% prefer in-person psychological support, compared with 59%.
Pharmacies are trusted when they are nearby
Traditional pharmacies also retain their appeal. Some 63% of Uzbekistan’s residents prefer to buy medicines and biologically active supplements in person, compared with 49% on average, the second-highest figure in the survey after France at 65%. An in-person consultation with a pharmacist is preferred by 49%, while 29% choose an online format. Some 49% of residents are willing to trust an online-only pharmacy to some extent, compared with 62% on average: 20% if it is linked to a licensed pharmacy with a physical location, 18% only when buying simple or over-the-counter medicines, and 12% without additional conditions. Some 45% of Uzbekistan’s residents do not trust pharmacies without a physical location, the highest figure among the countries surveyed. The corresponding figure is 37% in France and 36% in Belgium.
The so-called “showrooming” practice, in which a person receives advice at a pharmacy and then purchases the recommended product online, is used by 25% of Uzbekistan’s residents, compared with 35% on average. The main reason is convenience, cited by 14%, followed less frequently by lower prices at 6%. Some 68% have never used this approach, while 42% usually purchase a product at the same place where they received advice.
Residents expect pharmacies of the future to expand their services. Some 37% would like to use home delivery of medicines with access to a pharmacist consultation, compared with 29% on average. Around-the-clock pharmacy services with pharmacist consultations interest 33%, health checks at pharmacies 23%, easier access to specialist consultations through pharmacies 22%, digital medication management 20%, personalised recommendations based on medical history 19%, AI services for checking symptoms 13%, and automatic prescription renewals for patients with chronic conditions 10%. Only 7% of residents are completely satisfied with the existing range of pharmacy services.
A hybrid healthcare model
Peter Goldschmidt, CEO of STADA Arzneimittel AG, said in the report that AI is accelerating the development of a model based on informed patients. “People are no longer simply patients waiting their turn in a hospital. They are becoming active participants in the process,” he said. Goldschmidt called on government representatives, manufacturers, distributors and healthcare professionals to view the STADA Health Report 2026 not as a final verdict, but as an invitation to jointly shape the hybrid future of healthcare.
The findings for Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan were presented at an event held simultaneously in Tashkent and Almaty via a video link. Opening the presentation, Kuanysh Ospanov, Vice President of STADA Eurasia, said the study provided an opportunity to see healthcare through the eyes of the people themselves. “This year, we propose looking at how people believe artificial intelligence is transforming healthcare and how it is helping reduce the burden on already overstretched systems. At the same time, the patient, together with the doctor and pharmacist, remains at the centre around which we formulate questions and proposals. Trust in doctors’ diagnoses and pharmacists’ advice remains the foundation on which healthcare systems continue to be built,” he said.
About the study
The STADA Health Report 2026 is the company’s 13th international report. Uzbekistan is participating in the study for the fourth time. The survey was conducted by Human8 in February–March 2026 online across 20 countries, including Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. In each country, a representative sample of 500–2,000 respondents aged 18–99 was formed based on age, gender and region of residence. Participants were asked to answer more than 40 questions.
