Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (WAM)
The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Trust and Health findings revealed that UAE respondents are the most confident in making informed health decisions among the 16 countries surveyed.
Healthcare trust in the UAE remains exceptionally strong alongside one of the highest rates of Artificial Intelligence adoption to manage health globally.
As healthcare systems around the world navigate declining public confidence amidst growing misinformation, the UAE emerges as a distinctive global model.
In the UAE, 59 percent of respondents use AI to manage their health, much higher than the global average of 35 percent, indicating a shift of AI beyond experimentation and becoming embedded in everyday healthcare decision-making.
Concurrently, confidence in healthcare professionals remains remarkably strong, with nearly nine in ten UAE respondents (89 percent) trusting their doctor to tell them the truth about health issues and how to protect public health, reinforcing the role of physicians as the most trusted voice in healthcare.
The findings suggested that consumers are expanding their definition of expertise, viewing technology as a complementary source of insight, alongside the proficiency of medical professionals.
AI’s role is integrated into how people seek information and make healthcare decisions in the UAE.
The UAE carves a place out for itself in global standings for achieving what many healthcare systems continue to pursue – strong trust in both the healthcare system and technology.
Together, these contribute to a more empowered healthcare consumer, with 70 percent of UAE respondents saying they feel confident in finding health information and making informed decisions.
The UAE’s broader healthcare ecosystem benefits from high institutional confidence, with 90 percent trust in local and national health authorities, as compared to 69 percent globally.
This foundation of trust creates favourable conditions for UAE’s accelerating healthcare innovation and adoption.
Overall, the findings suggested that the UAE may offer an early view of a healthcare future wherein consumers are informed, physicians remain trusted, technology is embedded into everyday health decision-making, and trust continues to serve as the foundation for innovation.
The country demonstrates that confidence in doctors and confidence in AI are not competing forces – but are advancing together.
