Mental health stigma and barriers to mental health care for first responders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Objective It is unclear how many first responders experience barriers to care and stigma regarding mental health care, and how this influences their help-seeking. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted on barriers to care and mental health stigma in first responders and their empirical relationship with psychosocial and psychiatric variables. Methods The databases Medline, Embase PsycINFO, CINAHL, PILOTS, LILACS, Sociological Abstracts, SocINDEX, and Social Citation Index were searched to identify relevant studies. A quality assessment and meta-analysis was performed. Results Fourteen articles met inclusion criteria, from which data from 12 samples were extracted for meta-analyses. All studies measured stigma regarding mental health care and 33.1% of first responders (95% CI 26.7–40.1; 12 individual samples) endorsed stigma items. The systematic review revealed that the most frequently endorsed items were fears regarding confidentiality and negative career impact. Five of 14 studies measured barriers to mental health care and 9.3% of first responders (95% CI 7.0–12.3; 4 individual samples) endorsed barriers to care items. The most frequently endorsed barriers were scheduling concerns and not knowing where to get help. Indications were found for more stigma and barriers in individuals with mental health problems. Conclusions Stigma and barriers to care are experienced by a significant proportion of firs responders, which can potentially lead to delayed presentation in mental health care and therefore, increased risk of chronicity of post-trauma psychopathology for these groups. The current systematic review draws attention to the paucity of research in this area, particularly in non-Western samples.