Use of ECT in the United States in 1975, 1980, and 1986

Abstract

The declining use of ECT in the United States ended in the 1980s. Few African Americans receive ECT, and its use is becoming more targeted toward patients with affective disorders. The amount of services research done on this modality is very small. Basic questions have yet to be answered, including who refers patients for ECT and why, and how ECT fits into the overall course of treatment.