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Botham N, Sharp L, Paterson H, Wilson M, Martin D, Kelly S, Varveris D, Langan Martin J. Attitudes and Knowledge of Electroconvulsive Therapy: An Exploration of Medical Students' Perspectives. J ECT 2024:00124509-990000000-00200. [PMID: 39121009 DOI: 10.1097/yct.0000000000001035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/11/2024]
Abstract
AIMS To explore knowledge and attitudes of medical students before and after exposure to a technology-enhanced learning and teaching (TELT) session about electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). BACKGROUND Adequate knowledge of and attitudes toward ECT is essential for medical students. However, the impact of teaching on knowledge and attitudes is infrequently studied. METHODS Fourth- and fifth year medical students at the University of Glasgow were provided with an online questionnaire before and after engaging in a remote TELT session, led by a consultant psychiatrist with expertise in ECT. The online teaching session used resources developed by a multidisciplinary team who specialize in ECT. The teaching session lasted around 1 hour. The questionnaire contained 3 sections: baseline demographics, knowledge of ECT, and attitudes toward ECT. Changes in scores were analyzed. RESULTS Sixty-seven students completed the teaching session. Response rate to the precourse questionnaire was 68.7% (n = 46), and the postcourse questionnaire was 44.8% (n = 30). Prior to engaging with the learning materials, 9 students reported no knowledge of ECT and a third believed that ECT did not cause a seizure. In general, students who had personal experience of mental illness (friend, relative, or self) had more positive attitudes toward ECT and higher knowledge scores. In general, an increase in knowledge and attitude scores was found in the postcourse questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS Exposing medical students to a TELT session focused on ECT during their psychiatric placement appeared to improve knowledge and attitudes surrounding ECT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Botham
- From the School of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Sharp
- From the School of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Helena Paterson
- School of Psychology, College of Medical, Veterinary Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Mia Wilson
- From the School of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | | | - Stephen Kelly
- NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | | | - Julie Langan Martin
- From the School of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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Berman J. Teaching ECT to Medical Students: Literature Review, Commentary, and a Suggested Change in Perspective. J ECT 2024; 40:69-71. [PMID: 38373172 DOI: 10.1097/yct.0000000000000975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Berman
- From the Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
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Demchenko I, Tassone VK, Dunnett S, Balachandar A, Li S, Anderson M, Daskalakis ZJ, Foley K, Karkouti K, Kennedy SH, Ladha KS, Robertson J, Vaisman A, Koczerginski D, Parikh SV, Blumberger DM, Flint AJ, Bhat V. Impact of COVID-19 on electroconvulsive therapy practice across Canadian provinces during the first wave of the pandemic. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:327. [PMID: 37165333 PMCID: PMC10170445 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-04832-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a procedural treatment that is potentially life-saving for some patients with severe psychiatric illness. At the start of the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, ECT practice was remarkably disrupted, putting vulnerable individuals at increased risk of symptom exacerbation and death by suicide. This study aimed to capture the self-reported experiences of psychiatrists based at healthcare facilities across Canadian provinces who were delivering ECT treatments during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e., from mid-March 2020 to mid-May 2020). METHODS A multidisciplinary team of experts developed a survey focusing on five domains: ECT unit operations, decision-making, hospital resources, ECT procedure, and mitigating patient impact. Responses were collected from psychiatrists providing ECT at 67 ECT centres in Canada, grouped by four geographical regions (Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic Canada, and Western Canada). RESULTS Clinical operations of ECT programs were disrupted across all four regions - however, centres in Atlantic Canada were able to best preserve outpatient and maintenance care, while centres in Western Canada were able to best preserve inpatient and acute care. Similarly, Atlantic and Western Canada demonstrated the best decision-making practices of involving the ECT team and clinical ethicists in the development of pandemic-related guidelines. Across all four regions, ECT practice was affected by the redeployment of professionals, the shortage of personal protective equipment, and the need to enforce social distancing. Attempts to introduce modifications to the ECT delivery room and minimize bag-valve-mask ventilation were consistently reported. All four regions developed a new patient prioritization framework, and Western Canada, notably, aimed to provide ECT to only the most severe cases. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that ECT provision was disproportionately affected across different parts of Canada. Possible factors that could explain these interregional differences include population, distribution of urban vs. rural areas, pre-pandemic barriers in access to ECT, number of cases, ability to control the spread of infection, and the general reduction in physicians' activities across different areas of health care. Studying these factors in the future will inform how medical centres should respond to public health emergencies and pandemic-related circumstances in the context of procedural treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilya Demchenko
- Interventional Psychiatry Program, Mental Health and Addictions Service, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Vanessa K Tassone
- Interventional Psychiatry Program, Mental Health and Addictions Service, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sarah Dunnett
- Interventional Psychiatry Program, Mental Health and Addictions Service, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Arpana Balachandar
- Interventional Psychiatry Program, Mental Health and Addictions Service, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sophie Li
- Interventional Psychiatry Program, Mental Health and Addictions Service, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Melanie Anderson
- Library and Information Services, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Zafiris J Daskalakis
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Karen Foley
- Department of Anesthesia and Pain Management, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Keyvan Karkouti
- Department of Anesthesia and Pain Management, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sidney H Kennedy
- Interventional Psychiatry Program, Mental Health and Addictions Service, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Karim S Ladha
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Anesthesia, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jamie Robertson
- Centre for Clinical Ethics, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Alon Vaisman
- Department of Infection Prevention and Control, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - David Koczerginski
- Department of Psychiatry, North York General Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sagar V Parikh
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Daniel M Blumberger
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Alastair J Flint
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Centre for Mental Health, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Venkat Bhat
- Interventional Psychiatry Program, Mental Health and Addictions Service, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Kitay BM, Walde T, Robertson D, Cohen T, Duvivier R, Martin A. Addressing Electroconvulsive Therapy Knowledge Gaps and Stigmatized Views Among Nursing Students Through a Psychiatrist-APRN Didactic Partnership. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc 2022; 28:225-234. [PMID: 32727255 DOI: 10.1177/1078390320945778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Knowledge gaps and stigmatized perceptions regarding electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) among patients and health providers contribute to the underutilization of an important therapeutic modality. The proactive education of future advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) provides an opportunity to optimize the use of this evidence-based clinical practice. AIMS: As part of a general course in psychiatry during the first year of nursing school, we dedicated 1 hour to treatment-refractory depression, including ECT, and a second hour to a summary discussion of mood disorders. We evaluated the efficacy of this didactic offering, which was co-taught by a psychiatrist and a psychiatric APRN. METHOD: At baseline, consenting students (n = 94) provided three words they associated with ECT and then completed three validated instruments: (a) Questionnaire on Attitudes and Knowledge of ECT, (b) Opening Minds Stigma Scale for Health Care Providers, and (c) Self-Stigma of Seeking Help. Among the 67 students who repeated the assessment at endpoint, 39 attended the ECT didactic (Intervention group, 58%) and 28 did not (Control, 42%). RESULTS: After completion of the 3-month course, students showed improvement across all measures (p < .001). The only outcomes that improved differentially between the Intervention and Control groups were the Questionnaire on Attitudes and Knowledge of ECT Attitudes and Knowledge scales (p = .01). Word choice valence associated with ECT shifted favorably by endpoint (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: An educational intervention co-led by a psychiatric-mental health APRN had a significant impact on nursing students' knowledge and perceptions of ECT. This approach can be readily implemented at other institutions. Future refinements will include the videotaped depiction of a simulated patient undergoing the consent, treatment, and recovery phases of ECT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon M Kitay
- Brandon M. Kitay, MD, PhD, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Tina Walde
- Tina Walde, DNP, APRN, PMHNP, Yale University, Orange, CT, USA
| | - Dilice Robertson
- Dilice Robertson, DNP, APRN, PMHNP, Yale University, Orange, CT, USA
| | - Tammy Cohen
- Tammy Cohen, APRN, Yale Psychiatric Hospital, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Robbert Duvivier
- Robbert Duvivier, MD, PhD, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Andrés Martin
- Andrés Martin, MD, MPH, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about electroconvulsive therapy among Polish students. CURRENT PROBLEMS OF PSYCHIATRY 2022. [DOI: 10.2478/cpp-2021-0021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Introduction: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective and safe treatment for many mental disorders. Nevertheless, the attitudes towards ECT are negative and the use of this method in Poland is decreasing.
Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the general knowledge and attitudes towards electroconvulsive therapy among Polish university students, including students of medicine, psychology and other faculties.
Material and methods: An original online questionnaire containing 39 questions was used, distributed through student groups on social networking sites. A total of 418 questionnaires were completed. The collected data were statistically analyzed.
Results: Significant knowledge gaps and negative beliefs about electroconvulsive therapy were observed among Polish students. Medical and psychology students had more extensive knowledge and more positive beliefs about this method of treatment than students of other faculties. Greater knowledge of the therapy was associated with a more positive attitude towards it. The main source of knowledge about ECT for students of medicine and psychology were lectures and courses, and for students of other faculties – movies. Students, who considered psychiatry as their future specialization, had less knowledge and a more negative attitude towards ECT, relative to the rest of the respondents.
Conclusions: There is a need for educational interventions that will change the way how ECT is perceived both in the public opinion and in the medical community. An effective solution to low levels of knowledge for medical students may be the observation of the procedure included in the study programme.
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Sidhom E, Omar MH. The Nomenclature of Electroconvulsive Therapy. J ECT 2021; 37:128-132. [PMID: 33337650 DOI: 10.1097/yct.0000000000000735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an established but stigmatized psychiatric treatment. The term ECT reflects the treatment's modality and action. Several authors proposed different names for ECT to deal with stigma; however, available literature that promoted different names did not address the risk/benefit ratio or offer evidence-based approach to the efficacy of this approach. We aim to examine proposed names for their specificity, accuracy, understandability, and popularity. In addition, we aim to find evidence-based methods to combat the ECT-related stigma. We reviewed the literature relating to the proposed names using snowballing technique for literature search. Known ECT alternative names were used for search, and whenever another name appears, it was added to our search list. We conducted Medline, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and PubMed search to check for popularity and cross examine whether proposed terms refer back to ECT. We searched for ECT and stigma, to find evidence for methods to tackle ECT-related stigma. Once, the search stopped yielding newer ideas, we stopped the search at a point of saturation, where no more ideas where generated. Our name search yielded 14 terms. Nine names avoided "electricity" and "convulsion," because of perceived associated stigma. Presence of different terminology can affect the clarity of patient-doctor communication, with no evidence of added benefit. Alternative names may affect doctor-doctor communication about this treatment. We concluded that it is safer to retain the term ECT for the sake of consistency and clarity of communication. Education and experience are evidence-based effective methods of tackling ECT-related stigma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emad Sidhom
- From the Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Competency by Design for Electroconvulsive Therapy in Psychiatry Postgraduate Training: Face and Content Validation Study. J ECT 2020; 36:18-24. [PMID: 31990735 DOI: 10.1097/yct.0000000000000646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Psychiatry is in the process of shifting curricula in postgraduate training to a competency-by-design approach. One core aspect of postgraduate psychiatry training is the knowledge and practice of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The aim of this study was to develop and validate the corresponding set of competencies that need to be developed during postgraduate training in psychiatry. METHODS This study involves the proposal of a set of competencies by an ECT curriculum committee from the University Department of Psychiatry, based on the competency-by-design principles, followed by a modified Delphi process, to reach expert consensus on the proposed, modified, and added competencies. RESULTS Six ECT experts meeting the preset criteria were recruited to the study from 6 academic centers across Canada and participated in the 2 Delphi rounds. Thirty-one competencies were proposed in the first round. Twenty-three proceeded to the second round by meeting 80% agreement on a score of ≥4 using a 5-point Likert scale. Three competencies required rewording based on qualitative feedback; accordingly, 10 new competencies were suggested. Thirty-five competencies were rated by experts and reached the threshold of agreement and rating. Cronbach α increased from 0.89 after the first round to 0.95 after the second iteration. DISCUSSION Consensus was generated on 35 competencies that need to be achieved during postgraduate training in psychiatry. These competencies can serve as the basis for developing ECT curricula in postgraduate psychiatry training. The method used is feasible and can be adopted for the development of other competencies and curricula in psychiatry and other medical fields.
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Rafoul B, Mashiach-Eizenberg M, Hasson-Ohayon I, Roe D. Knowledge about, attitudes toward, and willingness to undergo electroconvulsive therapy among mental health patients, staff, and family members. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/00207411.2019.1702613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bahaa Rafoul
- Department of Community Mental Health, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | | | | | - David Roe
- Department of Community Mental Health, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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Bhat B, Dar S, Hussain A, Mir R. Electroconvulsive therapy: Knowledge and attitudes among medical interns and the general public. MULLER JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES AND RESEARCH 2020. [DOI: 10.4103/mjmsr.mjmsr_5_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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10
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Bhat B, Dar S, Hussain A, Mir R. Electroconvulsive Therapy: Knowledge and Attitudes Among Medical Interns and the General Public. MAMC JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES 2020. [DOI: 10.4103/mamcjms.mamcjms_6_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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Ithman M, O'Connell C, Ogunleye A, Lee S, Chamberlain B, Ramalingam A. Pre- and Post-Clerkship Knowledge, Perceptions, and Acceptability of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) in 3rd Year Medical Students. Psychiatr Q 2018; 89:869-880. [PMID: 29804233 DOI: 10.1007/s11126-018-9585-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
To examine the impact of the third year psychiatry clerkship on medical students' knowledge and opinion of ECT at University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine. Despite overwhelming evidence of ECT's efficacy and safety for refractory affective illnesses, (among other conditions), it remains a misunderstood and underutilized intervention. Several studies indicate that ECT stigma and misinformation, unfortunately, does not spare the medical community. Medical students are an optimal group to study, as they are forming their perspectives on different specialties. Few studies have measured the effect of education programs (e.g., clerkships, lectures, observation of ECT) on medical students' perspectives on ECT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muaid Ithman
- Missouri University Psychiatry Center, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Chris O'Connell
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ayodeji Ogunleye
- Missouri University Psychiatry Center, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA. .,Missouri University Psychiatric Center, Missouri University Health Care, Columbia, MO, USA.
| | - Suhwon Lee
- Department of Statistics, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Brett Chamberlain
- Missouri University Psychiatry Center, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Anupama Ramalingam
- Missouri University Psychiatry Center, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA
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Pranjkovic T, Degmecic D, Medic Flajsman A, Gazdag G, Ungvari GS, Kuzman MR. Observing Electroconvulsive Therapy Changes Students' Attitudes: A Survey of Croatian Medical Students. J ECT 2017; 33:26-29. [PMID: 27428474 DOI: 10.1097/yct.0000000000000336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
AIM To assess the impact of education and direct observation of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) on medical students' attitudes toward ECT in particular and psychiatric treatment in general in Croatia. METHOD Two self-administered questionnaires were completed by year 4 medical students twice, at the beginning and the end of the psychiatry clerkship. Students were divided into 2 groups: those who observed an ECT session (47.9%) and those who did not (52.1%). RESULTS The survey was completed by 190 students yielding a response rate of 79.8%. Students' attitudes toward ECT and other methods of psychiatric treatment and psychiatry in general changed in positive direction after the clerkship in both groups. However, the attitudes toward ECT of students who observed a live ECT session became more positive than those who did not. Likewise, students who observed ECT were more likely to agree to receive ECT and had better knowledge about ECT compared with the other group. CONCLUSIONS Having watched a live ECT session had a positive effect on students' attitudes toward ECT and other types of psychiatric treatment. Watching live ECT sessions should be mandatory during the psychiatric clerkship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Pranjkovic
- From the *Istra Primary Health Care Center, Pula, Croatia; †Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek; ‡Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Centre Osijek, Osijek; §Zagreb Region Primary Health Care Center, Zagreb, Croatia; ∥Centre for Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine, Szent István and Szent Laszló Hospitals; ¶Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary; #Notre Dame University, Australia; **School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia; ††Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; and ‡‡Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
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AlHadi AN, AlShahrani FM, Alshaqrawi AA, Sharefi MA, Almousa SM. Knowledge of and attitudes towards electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) among psychiatrists and family physicians in Saudi Arabia. Ann Gen Psychiatry 2017; 16:16. [PMID: 28265295 PMCID: PMC5331705 DOI: 10.1186/s12991-017-0139-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2017] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To assess the knowledge of and attitudes towards ECT among psychiatrists and family physicians in Saudi Arabia. METHODS The study is quantitative observational cross-sectional with a convenient sample that included psychiatrists and family physicians (including residents) in Saudi Arabia. RESULTS Of the 434 questionnaires emailed, a total of 126 returned completed questionnaires (29% response rate). The mean age of respondents was 35 years old. Psychiatrists accounted for 68.3%. The majority were Saudis (95.2%) and male (70.6%). Around half were consultants and about two-thirds (62.7%) had worked in a facility that used ECT. Psychiatrists showed better knowledge than family physicians in their answers, with a mean total knowledge scoring of 8.12 (±1.25) out of 10 and 6.15 (±1.25), respectively (P < 0.0001). Among psychiatrists, 87% thought that ECT required general anesthesia, while 35% of family physicians believed so (P < 0.0001). Other items of ECT knowledge are discussed. Psychiatrists displayed a better attitude towards ECT than family physicians in all answers, with a mean score of 9.54 (±1.16) and 7.85 (±2.39), respectively (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Psychiatrists scored better than family physicians in both knowledge and attitude regarding ECT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad N AlHadi
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, King Saud University Medical City, PO Box 242069, Riyadh, 11322 Saudi Arabia.,SABIC Psychological Health Research & Applications Chair (SPHRAC), College of Medicine, King Saud University, King Saud University Medical City, PO Box 242069, Riyadh, 11322 Saudi Arabia
| | - Fahad M AlShahrani
- Family Medicine Department, King Abdulaziz Medical City, National Guard, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.,College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ali A Alshaqrawi
- Department of Psychiatry, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohanned A Sharefi
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saud M Almousa
- Department of Internal Medicine, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Sharma B, Malik M. Bollywood madness and shock therapy: a qualitative and comparative analysis of depiction of electroconvulsive therapy in Indian cinema and Hollywood. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.1080/17542863.2012.669769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Balhara Y, Yadav T, Mathur S, Kataria D. The Impact of A "Brief ECT Orientation Module" on The Knowledge and Attitudes of Medical Students Towards ECT in India. Ann Med Health Sci Res 2013; 2:140-5. [PMID: 23440565 PMCID: PMC3573508 DOI: 10.4103/2141-9248.105661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) continues to be an intervention that attracts controversy in spite of its proven efficacy. There is limited literature on attitude and knowledge of medical students towards ECT from Asian and African countries. Aim: The current study assesses the impact of a “Brief ECT Orientation Module” on the knowledge of and attitudes of Indian medical students towards modified ECT. Subjects and Methods: The study was conducted at a tertiary care multi-specialty hospital associated with a government medical college. The students were administered the study questionnaire on Day 1 of Psychiatry clerkship. Following this, they were administered the Brief ECT Orientation Module. Assessment was made using a questionnaire with items related to knowledge and attitude towards ECT before and after “Brief ECT Orientation Module.” Results: Fifty-nine students completed the study. There was a significant improvement in knowledge of medical students on all the three domains of the questionnaire for assessment of knowledge about ECT-related facts. A change in attitudes towards ECT was also observed following Brief ECT Orientation Module, especially among those who witnessed ECT administration. Conclusion: The findings of the current study suggest that the Brief ECT Orientation Module is effective in improving the knowledge and attitude of medical students towards ECT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yps Balhara
- Department of Psychiatry and De-addiction, Lady Hardinge Medical College and Smt. Sucheta Kriplani Hospital, New Delhi, India
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Golenkov A, Ungvari GS, Gazdag G. Public attitudes towards electroconvulsive therapy in the Chuvash Republic. Int J Soc Psychiatry 2012; 58:289-94. [PMID: 21339235 DOI: 10.1177/0020764010394282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Public attitudes towards a given medical procedure can have a significant influence on the employment of that method. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a medical procedure that has received an exceptionally ambiguous public reception since its inception. AIM To survey the level of information about and attitudes towards ECT in a general population sample of the Chuvash Republic of the Russian Federation. METHODS A randomly selected cohort of 5,373 people was contacted by telephone. The respondents were asked three closed and three open questions. RESULTS The response rate was 74.7%. Only 35.2% of those interviewed said they knew anything about ECT. Health professionals and younger respondents were better informed. The two main sources of information about ECT were foreign films and the mass media. The main indication of ECT was thought to be schizophrenia. The majority (63.3%) of the respondents had negative opinions and emotions about ECT. CONCLUSION Limited information about and generally negative attitudes towards ECT were found in the general population of the Chuvash Republic. Gender, age, education level, employment in the health industry, and information source were found to be the determining factors in the knowledge of and attitudes towards ECT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei Golenkov
- Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Chuvash State University, Cheboksary, Russia
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Sartorius N, Gaebel W, Cleveland HR, Stuart H, Akiyama T, Arboleda-Flórez J, Baumann AE, Gureje O, Jorge MR, Kastrup M, Suzuki Y, Tasman A. WPA guidance on how to combat stigmatization of psychiatry and psychiatrists. World Psychiatry 2010; 9:131-44. [PMID: 20975855 PMCID: PMC2948719 DOI: 10.1002/j.2051-5545.2010.tb00296.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In 2009 the WPA President established a Task Force that was to examine available evidence about the stigmatization of psychiatry and psychiatrists and to make recommendations about action that national psychiatric societies and psychiatrists as professionals could do to reduce or prevent the stigmatization of their discipline as well as to prevent its nefarious consequences. This paper presents a summary of the Task Force's findings and recommendations. The Task Force reviewed the literature concerning the image of psychiatry and psychiatrists in the media and the opinions about psychiatry and psychiatrists of the general public, of students of medicine, of health professionals other than psychiatrists and of persons with mental illness and their families. It also reviewed the evidence about the interventions that have been undertaken to combat stigma and consequent discrimination and made a series of recommendations to the national psychiatric societies and to individual psychiatrists. The Task Force laid emphasis on the formulation of best practices of psychiatry and their application in health services and on the revision of curricula for the training of health personnel. It also recommended that national psychiatric societies establish links with other professional associations, with organizations of patients and their relatives and with the media in order to approach the problems of stigma on a broad front. The Task Force also underlined the role that psychiatrists can play in the prevention of stigmatization of psychiatry, stressing the need to develop a respectful relationship with patients, to strictly observe ethical rules in the practice of psychiatry and to maintain professional competence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norman Sartorius
- Association for the Improvement of Mental Health Programmes, Geneva, Switzerland
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Abstract
UNLABELLED Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective and affordable form of treatment for a range of psychiatric disorders. Historical antecedents, the media, and movies have generated myths about its continued use and relevance. OBJECTIVES We explored medical students' knowledge of and attitude to ECT on completion of an 8-week clinical rotation (clerkship) in psychiatry. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was carried out among final-year medical students at the end of a clerkship in psychiatry using a self-administered questionnaire adapted from previously published work, to assess their attitudes to and knowledge of unmodified ECT. RESULTS Knowledge of medicine, psychiatry, and ECT were self-rated as average by most students. Most had an interest in pursuing psychiatry as a profession and would receive ECT if judged clinically appropriate. Most students had positive attitudes toward ECT; the vast majority thought it was a relevant form of treatment and did not think that ECT was used to control violent or used by government to torture opponents. Although an overwhelming majority did not think ECT was outmoded or causes permanent brain damage, answers about pain associated with ECT and about the dangers associated with the procedure seem to be more evenly split. A minority thought that ECT was used only in the poor and should not be given to the elderly or children. A substantial majority thought that ECT was the treatment of last resort. Respondents who were likely to choose psychiatry as a profession agreed that ECT causes pain, but disagreed that it was used by governments to torture political opponents or that it causes permanent brain damage. Students with minimal knowledge of ECT showed more negative attitudes toward the myth that ECT is misused and should be a treatment of last resort. CONCLUSION The similarity of the attitudes of students exposed to unmodified ECT with attitudes of students exposed to modified ECT suggests that modification has made little impact on the attitudes of health professionals. The importance of lectures, patient follow-up while on clinical rotations has significant contributions in shaping attitudes and should be harnessed during training.
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Knowledge of attitude toward experience and satisfaction with electroconvulsive therapy in a sample of Iranian patients. J ECT 2009; 25:106-12. [PMID: 18708944 DOI: 10.1097/yct.0b013e31818050dc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Despite the wide consensus over the safety and efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), it still faces negative publicity and unfavorable attitudes of patients and families. Little is known about how the experience with ECT affects the patients' and their families' attitude toward it. The aim of this study was to examine a sample of Iranian patients and their families regarding their experience with ECT and to compare their knowledge and attitude toward ECT before and after this experience and their satisfaction with it. We surveyed 22 patients with major depressive disorder about to undergo ECT and 1 family member of each patient for their knowledge and attitude toward ECT and then surveyed them again after the trial of ECT to compare those variables while assessing their experience and satisfaction with ECT. Patients were rated using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Mini-Mental Status Examination before and after the treatment. We found that, before ECT, family members had a more favorable attitude toward ECT than patients, but after ECT, the patients' attitude changed more positively compared with their families. Both patients and their families had a poor knowledge of ECT before the ECT trial, but their total knowledge increased afterward, although not in the areas of indications and therapeutic effects. The majority of patients and their families found ECT to be beneficial and were satisfied with it. Satisfaction with ECT was independent of treatment outcome. There was a high rate of perceived coercion to consent to ECT. Attention should be paid toward educating patients and their families about the ECT process, indications, risks, safety, and effects as well as informing them about their freedom of choice and right to refuse.
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Abstract
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has featured in Hollywood films for sixty years. Film depictions continue to exert a powerful and predominantly negative effect on public attitudes towards the treatment. From review of the 22 currently available films that directly refer to ECT the main themes identified are described. While initially portrayed as a dramatic but effective psychiatric intervention, ECT on film has come to stand for something quite different, representing the brutal and generally futile attempts of society to control and suppress the individual, gathering along the way a hackneyed cinematic grammar that emphasizes its inhumane and punitive nature. The film representation now has little in common with ECT as currently practised, such that filmmakers portraying ECT appear influenced more by films such as One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest than by evidence of the safety and effectiveness of ECT as a psychiatric treatment. Filmgoers with no personal or professional exposure to the treatment may fail to make the distinction between the demands of film narrative and clinical reality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew McDonald
- Westminster Adult Services, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, UK.
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