COAF Publishes First Study on How Residents of Rural Armenia Perceive Healthcare Quality

New paper published in BMC Health Services Research elevates the voices of Lori province residents in peer-reviewed research.

YEREVAN, YEREVAN, ARMENIA, February 11, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) announced the publication of a first-of-its-kind research paper examining how residents in rural Armenia perceive the quality of healthcare in Armenia. The study—co-authored by COAF Health Programs Head Dr. Lorky Libaridian and COAF physician Dr. Lusine Antonyan, alongside fellow Armenian researchers—was published in the internationally recognized journal BMC Health Services Research.

The publication marks an important milestone for rural health in Armenia, bringing community lived experience into the global health literature where it can inform policy, practice, and future research.

“For two decades, the voices and experiences of people living in rural Armenia have guided COAF in informing its programs with the realities of life in the regions and improving people’s lives,” said Dr. Lorky Libaridian, Head of COAF Health Programs. “We realized that this insight wasn’t reaching people outside of COAF, who are making policy decisions or implementing similar projects. So this last time when engaging with the communities, we took a very systematic approach, and published our research.”

Lifting Rural Voices

The research is based on 16 focus group discussions across 15 towns and villages in Lori province, involving more than 100 rural residents. Discussions captured how individuals and families experience healthcare in their daily lives and what shapes their decisions.

The study found that for many rural residents, healthcare quality is shaped as much by human interaction as by clinical care. Participants consistently emphasized the importance of respectful and empathetic treatment, and clear communication—describing dignity and “a good conversation” as central to healing.

The research also documented that many patients falsely equate more testing with better care. The findings may bring to light potential opportunities for systemic improvement.

From Research to Action

Conducted between March 30 and June 29, 2022, the study supports efforts to strengthen Armenia’s primary healthcare system by advancing patient-centered models of care. Findings from the study can inform:
- healthcare professional training and patient communication practices
- community engagement and education initiatives
- primary care strengthening and trust-building strategies
- policy approaches focused on rural contexts

COAF emphasized that the publication is not the endpoint, but a source of insight for improving healthcare outcomes through long-term, systematic partnership with communities and frontline providers.

“This research reminds us that quality healthcare is not only about services—it’s about trust,” said Liana Ghaltaghchyan, Executive Director of COAF. “By documenting rural residents’ voices through rigorous research, we can build systems that treat people with dignity and meet communities where they are.”

A Milestone for COAF and Rural Armenia

COAF’s healthcare team has worked side by side with rural communities for over two decades. With this publication, insights from the field are now being documented in the global health literature—injecting rural voices into the national and global discourse on improving healthcare systems.

Mark Gargarian
Children of Armenia Fund (COAF)
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