Barriers and Access to Care for Firefighters with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Seeking Ketamine Assisted Therapy: a qualitative study.
Journal of occupational and environmental medicine – February 02, 2026
Source: PubMed
Summary
Firefighters face alarming PTSD rates, 7.3% compared to 1.3-3.5% in the general population, often with treatment-resistant PTSD. Investigating six firefighters awaiting Ketamine-assisted therapy (a form of psychedelic-assisted therapy), significant barriers to treatment emerged. Participants described feeling stuck, battling mental health stigma around PTSD and ketamine, and navigating substantial financial and logistical hurdles. Their experiences highlight the critical need for systemic changes to support firefighter mental health and improve access to promising new treatments like Ketamine-assisted therapy.
Abstract
Firefighters are exposed to a disproportionately high number of traumatic incidents and, thus, display elevated rates of trauma-related mental health disorders, with the reported average PTSD prevalence being 7.3% in firefighters vs 1.3-3.5% in the general populationOftentimes, conventional treatments demonstrate limited efficacy. Ketamine-assisted therapy (KAT) has recently arisen with promising long-term results. The experiences of six firefighters who had enrolled in but not begun the Roots to Thrive (RTT) KAT program was investigated. Interviews were conducted pre-treatment, and a thorough thematic analysis was performed. Four major themes were identified: (1) feeling stuck and reaching a breaking point, (2) stigma surrounding PTSD and the use of ketamine for treatment, (3) the importance of self-advocacy in navigating access to treatment, and (4) substantial financial and logistical barriers. This study highlights the importance of system-wide changes necessary to support treatment-seeking individuals.