Am J Psychiatry 1987; 144:557-562
Copyright © 1987 by American Psychiatric Association
Use of ECT in the United States in 1975 and 1980
JW Thompson and JD Blaine
The authors examined data from the National Institute of Mental Health
regarding the use of ECT in the United States in 1975 and 1980. A total of
33,384 hospitalized patients were treated with ECT in 1980, representing
2.4% of all patients hospitalized in psychiatric facilities. The use of ECT
decreased by 46% between 1975 and 1980. Of the type of facilities surveyed,
only public general hospitals did not decrease their use of ECT. Patients
with affective disorders received 69.8% of the ECT given, and patients with
schizophrenia received 16.6%. Although more women than men received ECT,
diagnosis and age were more important factors than sex.
