Beyond Borders: A Comparative Analysis of the Patient Experience of Kazakh Citizens in Türkiye and Kazakhstan

Azhar Zhaiykkyzy, Department of Health Administration, Graduate School of Business, Sakarya University, Sakarya, TürkiyeFollow
Harun Kırılmaz, Department of Health Administration, Sakarya Business School, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Türkiye AND Faculty of Economics and Management, Department of Public Administration, Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University, Turkestan, Kazakhstan Follow

ORCID

Azhar Zhaiykkyzy: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1508-9528

Harun Kırılmaz: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6055-6826

Abstract

Patient experience is widely regarded as a core indicator of healthcare quality. Whilst the majority of research focuses on ethnic disparities, there is a paucity of studies that examine structural influences when cultural background is held constant. The present study sought to compare patient-reported experiences of 600 Kazakhstani citizens (n = 300 per country) receiving care in Kazakhstan and as medical tourists in Türkiye. The Picker Patient Experience Questionnaire (PPE-15) was utilised to analyse domain-level problem scores, employing chi-square tests (Cramer's V) and binary logistic regression. The findings indicated significant disparities in several domains, including coordination of care (V = 0.538), respect for personal preferences (V = 0.255), physical comfort (V = 0.151), and continuity and transition (V = 0.252). Notably, Kazakhstan exhibited considerably higher problem rates in all these domains. No significant differences were identified in emotional comfort or in the provision of information and education. Item-level analysis identified inconsistent staff communication as the strongest discriminator between settings (OR = 10.69, p < 0.001). Furthermore, age was a consistent correlate of experience across multiple domains. The study demonstrates that, when culture is held constant, structural and coordination-related dimensions exhibit greater variation than relational ones. The findings suggest that organisational integration and discharge processes play a more decisive role in shaping patient-reported experiences than cultural proximity alone, thereby highlighting the impact of healthcare system structures over shared cultural backgrounds.

Recommended Citation

Zhaiykkyzy A, Kırılmaz H. Beyond Borders: A Comparative Analysis of the Patient Experience of Kazakh Citizens in Türkiye and Kazakhstan. Patient Experience Journal. ; 13(3):438-449. doi: 10.35680/2372-0247.2185.