Saskia Wilhelmy1, Vasilija Rolfes2, Michael Grözinger3, Yvonne Chikere4, Sabrina Schöttle5, Dominik Groß6. 1. Department of History, Theory and Ethics in Medicine, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, Wendlingweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany. Electronic address: swilhelmy@ukaachen.de. 2. Department of History, Theory and Ethics in Medicine, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, Wendlingweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany. Electronic address: vasilija.rolfes@uni-duesseldorf.de. 3. Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany. Electronic address: mgroezinger@ukaachen.de. 4. Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany. Electronic address: ychikere@ukaachen.de. 5. Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany. Electronic address: schoettle@phil.hhu.de. 6. Department of History, Theory and Ethics in Medicine, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, Wendlingweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany. Electronic address: dgross@ukaachen.de.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to examine knowledge and attitudes on electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) among the German population. METHOD: A web-based population survey based on a standardized questionnaire was used to examine knowledge and attitudes towards ECT as a treatment of severe depression among the general public (sample of 1000; representative in terms of age, gender and federal states of the German population). RESULTS: ECT is not well known and negatively connoted among the German population. A higher level of awareness and knowledge about ECT correlates with higher agreement to treatment with it. The analysis of feedback from the open question underlines the complexity of ECT: on the one hand, negative attitudes, stereotypes, and associations, and on the other hand interest, willingness, and acceptance to deal with the method were shown. CONCLUSION: The results suggest an urgent need for more information about the basic facts, psychiatric applications, and effectiveness of ECT in order to increase the level of awareness and knowledge, and thus the method's acceptance. An increase in acceptance would expand the therapeutic spectrum for the mentally ill. Correspondingly, persons affected and their relatives as well as physicians and healthcare professionals should be involved in awareness-raising measures.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to examine knowledge and attitudes on electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) among the German population. METHOD: A web-based population survey based on a standardized questionnaire was used to examine knowledge and attitudes towards ECT as a treatment of severe depression among the general public (sample of 1000; representative in terms of age, gender and federal states of the German population). RESULTS: ECT is not well known and negatively connoted among the German population. A higher level of awareness and knowledge about ECT correlates with higher agreement to treatment with it. The analysis of feedback from the open question underlines the complexity of ECT: on the one hand, negative attitudes, stereotypes, and associations, and on the other hand interest, willingness, and acceptance to deal with the method were shown. CONCLUSION: The results suggest an urgent need for more information about the basic facts, psychiatric applications, and effectiveness of ECT in order to increase the level of awareness and knowledge, and thus the method's acceptance. An increase in acceptance would expand the therapeutic spectrum for the mentally ill. Correspondingly, persons affected and their relatives as well as physicians and healthcare professionals should be involved in awareness-raising measures.
Authors: Charles Timäus; Jonathan Vogelgsang; Bernhard Kis; Katrin Radenbach; Claus Wolff-Menzler; Kiriaki Mavridou; Stephan Gyßer; Philipp Hessmann; Jens Wiltfang Journal: Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci Date: 2020-01-29 Impact factor: 5.270
Authors: Kerem Böge; Eric Hahn; Tien Duc Cao; Lukas Marian Fuchs; Lara Kim Martensen; Georg Schomerus; Michael Dettling; Matthias Angermeyer; Van Tuan Nguyen; Thi Minh Tam Ta Journal: Int J Ment Health Syst Date: 2018-11-14