Barriers and Access to Care for Firefighters With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Seeking Ketamine-Assisted Therapy: A Qualitative Study

OBJECTIVE: 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 versus 1.3%-3.5% in the general population. Oftentimes, conventional treatments demonstrate limited efficacy. Ketamine-assisted therapy (KAT) has recently arisen with promising long-term results. METHODS: The experiences of six firefighters who had enrolled in but not begun the Roots to Thrive (RTT) KAT program were investigated. Interviews were conducted pretreatment, and a thorough thematic analysis was performed. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the importance of system-wide changes necessary to support treatment-seeking individuals.