How Do Healthcare Expenditures Affect Poverty? A Gender and Regional Analysis

The article examines how healthcare financing in Uzbekistan affects household well-being and the risk of poverty, with particular attention to gender and regional differences. A survey conducted in February–March 2026 among more than 1,100 respondents in Samarkand city and the Bulungur, Ishtikhan, Khatirchi and Gijduvan districts found that women reported lower levels of satisfaction with their health than men. The study also examines household out-of-pocket medical expenses, the structure of public healthcare financing and international experience. Based on the findings, the authors propose creating a digital monitoring platform that considers the demographic, gender, socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of each region.