Work

“We Don’t Get to Go Just Anywhere” Community Health Assessment of Barriers to Gender-Affirming Healthcare in Fresno, California

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Research on access to healthcare for transgender populations in California remains mostly focused on the major city centers, leaving out many rural and poorer areas of the state. Understanding the barriers to gender-affirming healthcare in a largely rural, agricultural, and low-income area is critical in creating effective policies and programs to address significant gaps in transgender healthcare. This is especially true in regions like Fresno County, which sits within the heart of the Central Valley of California, that are mostly rural and agricultural. This study conducted a community health assessment using a mixed-methods approach, focusing on transgender communities’ experience of accessing healthcare and gender-affirming healthcare in Fresno County and on the various existing barriers and critical needs. The study reveals the critical deficits in accessing gender-affirming healthcare in Fresno County, especially regarding doctors providing gender-affirming care, as well as the larger implications this has on the health and well-being of transgender individuals living in the Central Valley.

Source: Societies

DOI: 10.3390/soc15060167

Authors: Katherine Fobear, Crow Fitzpatrick

Institution: California State University, Fresno

Language: English

Topic: LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Good health and well-being, Gender equality

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,689