The in-depth epidemiology of hypertension has not been studied in Kazakhstan (KZ) yet. We aimed to investigate the crude; age and sex standardized prevalence, incidence, and all-cause mortality rate among hypertensive patients in Kazakhstan using a large-scale Unified National Electronic Health System (UNEHS) for the period 2014–2019. Hypertension was defined based on the ICD-10 codes (ICD-code: I10; I11; I12; I13). Of 1,908,419 patients, 1,186,706 (62.18%) were females and 721,713 (37.82%) were males. The majority of the patients (56.3%) were ethnic Kazakhs, 26.6% were Russians, and 16.2% were of other ethnicities. In 2014, the crude rates of prevalence, incidence, and mortality were 3661, 1396.1, and 33.1 per 100,000 population, respectively. The overall prevalence, incidence, and mortality rates among hypertension patients had a gradual increase over the period 2014–2019. The sex and age adjusted rates demonstrate the same trend throughout the entire period. We observed 71% higher risk of crude death in males comparing to females (Hazard ratio (HR): 1.71 [95%CI: 1.69–1.72]); Russian and other ethnicities had 1.56-fold (95%CI: 1.54–1.58 and 1.43-fold (95%CI: 1.41–1.45) higher risk of all-cause death compared to Kazakhs, and the elderly group had the highest risk of death (Hazard ratio (HR): 35.68 [95%CI: 28.11–45.31]) comparing to the younger generation, which remained significant after adjustment to age and sex. Overall, these findings show statistically significant lower survival probability in male patients compared to female, in older patients compared to younger ones, and in patients of Russian and other ethnicities compared to Kazakh.

A Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study reported that 9.6 million years lived with disability (YLDs) were lost due to hip and knee osteoarthritis (KOA) in 2017. Although the GBD study presents the disease burden at the global level, there is no information on any Central Asian country. This study aims to investigate the epidemiology of knee osteoarthritis in Kazakhstan. The data of 56,895 people with KOA between 2014–2020 was derived from the Unified National Electronic Health System of Kazakhstan and retrospectively analyzed. The majority of the cohort (76%) were women, of Kazakh ethnicity (66%), and older than 50 years of age (87%). The risk of gonarthrosis escalated for women after 50 years and peaked at 75 years with a rate of 3062 females admitted to hospital per 100,000 women in the population. This observation is approximately three times higher than for men of the same age group. A geographical analysis showed that the Jambyl oblast, West Kazakhstan, North Kazakhstan, and the Akmola oblast have the highest burden of disease. During the observation period, 127,077 age-adjusted YLDs were lost due to knee osteoarthritis. This is the first study in Kazakhstan to investigate the burden of knee osteoarthritis. This research recognizes age and sex-based differences, and regional disparities in the incidence of knee osteoarthritis. This knowledge can lead to the development of more specific diagnostic approaches and gender-personalized therapy protocols for patients.

The practice of gathering a patient's medical history has been a cornerstone of healthcare for centuries, providing the foundation for accurate diagnoses and effective treatment plans. However, traditional face-to-face consultations have limitations, including incomplete histories due to time constraints and potential communication barriers. To address these challenges, pre-consultation history taking systems emerged as a transformative solution, leveraging technology to optimize data collection and patient engagement. This review article explores the evolution, benefits, limitations, and impact of pre-consultation history taking systems on modern healthcare practices. These systems enable patients to respond to questionnaires or surveys before their scheduled appointments, empowering them to provide comprehensive medical histories at their own pace. Consequently, healthcare providers gain deeper insights into patients' health status, previous medical conditions, family history, lifestyle choices, and medication history. The significance of pre-consultation history taking lies in its potential to improve the quality of healthcare services. By obtaining more detailed and accurate medical histories before appointments, healthcare providers can optimize consultation time, enabling them to focus on addressing specific concerns and making informed decisions. Furthermore, patient engagement is enhanced, fostering a sense of collaboration between patients and healthcare professionals. Despite the advantages, the article addresses certain limitations, such as the digital divide and data accuracy concerns. Ensuring accessibility for all patient populations and maintaining robust data security measures are essential considerations. However, as technology continues to advance, pre-consultation history taking holds the promise of transforming the healthcare landscape and improving patient outcomes.

Objectives: Major gynecological surgeries are indicated for the treatment of female genital pathologies. It is key to examine trends in gynecologic surgical procedures and updated recommendations by international gynecological societies to find opportunities for improvement of local guidelines. To date, a very limited number of reports have been published on the epidemiology of gynecological surgeries in Kazakhstan. Moreover, some local guidelines for gynecological conditions do not comply with the international recommendations. Thus, this study aims to investigate the prevalence, indications, and outcomes of the most common major gynecological surgeries by analyzing large-scale Kazakhstani healthcare data, and identifying possible opportunities for improvement of the local public health and clinical practice. Methods: A descriptive, population-based study among women who underwent a gynecological surgery in healthcare settings across the Republic of Kazakhstan during the period of 2014–2019 was performed. Data were collected from the Unified Nationwide Electronic Health System (UNEHS). Results: In total, 80,401 surgery cases were identified and analyzed in the UNEHS database for a period of 6 years (2014–2019). The median age of the participants was 40 years old, with 61.1% in reproductive age. The most prevalent intervention was a unilateral salpingectomy—29.4%, with 72.6% patients aged between 18–34 years. The proportion of different types of hysterectomies was 49.4%. In 20% of cases, subtotal abdominal hysterectomy was performed due to uterine leiomyoma. The proportion of laparoscopic procedures in Kazakhstani gynecological practice is as low—11.59%. Conclusions: The Kazakhstani public health and gynecological care sector should reinforce implementation of contemporary treatment methods and up-to-date policies and guidelines. The overall trends in surgical procedures performed for gynecological pathologies, including uterine leiomyoma and ectopic pregnancy treatment, should be changed in favor of the minimally invasive methods in order to adopt a fertility-sparing approach.

Background: Vaccine hesitancy remains a significant public health challenge, affecting immunization coverage and increasing the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases. Understanding the factors influencing vaccine acceptance is crucial for developing targeted interventions. This study examines immunization coverage, vaccine hesitancy, and barriers to vaccine uptake in Kazakhstan, focusing on routine childhood immunization, COVID-19 vaccination, and HPV vaccination.Methods: A mixed-methods approach was used, combining quantitative immunization coverage data with qualitative insights from focus group discussions (FGDs). Immunization trends were presented using national data from 2020 to 2022. The study included FGDs with healthcare workers, unvaccinated older adults, mothers/caregivers of unvaccinated young children and of adolescent girls, focusing on COVID-19, routine immunization, and HPV vaccination. Thematic analysis was used for defining main themes in discussions.Results: Although routine immunization coverage improved in 2022 compared to 2020, general vaccine refusals increased by 2.62 times. The primary reasons for vaccine refusal included personal beliefs (68%), concerns about vaccine safety (54%), and distrust in healthcare institutions (39%). COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy was particularly high among older adult individuals, influenced by skepticism regarding vaccine safety, multiple vaccine options, and conspiracy theories. Healthcare professionals exhibited mixed confidence in COVID-19 vaccines expressing concerns about long-term safety. HPV vaccination hesitancy was linked to limited awareness and misconceptions about cervical cancer.Conclusion: Despite improvements in immunization coverage, vaccine hesitancy remains a critical barrier in Kazakhstan. Addressing misinformation, enhancing healthcare communication, and implementing targeted educational campaigns are essential for improving vaccine acceptance and public trust in immunization programs.

Background: Vaccine-preventable diseases such as pertussis, measles, and influenza remain among the most significant medical and socioeconomic issues in Kazakhstan, despite significant vaccination achievements. Thus, here we aimed to analyze the long-term dynamics and provide information on the current epidemiology of pertussis, measles, and influenza in Kazakhstan. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the long-term dynamics of infectious diseases was carried out using the data from the statistical collections for 2010-2020 and the Unified Payment System from 2014 to 2020. Results: During the 2010-2020 years, the long-term dynamics show an unequal distribution of pertussis, measles, and influenza-related morbidity. In comparison with earlier years, registration of infectious disease was the highest in 2019 and 2020. The incidence cases among registered infectious diseases in 2019 were: pertussis-147, measles-13,326, and in 2020: influenza-2,678. High incidence rates have been documented in Pavlodar, North Kazakhstan, Mangystau regions, and the cities of Shymkent and Nur-Sultan. The incidence varies depending on the seasonality: pertussis (summer-autumn), measles (winter-spring), and influenza (mostly in winter). Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance of focusing more on the characteristics of the epidemic process of vaccine-preventable diseases in order to assess the effectiveness of implemented measures and verify new routes in strengthening the epidemiological surveillance system.