From Quebec Science Journal
Translated from French

These statistics are from the Quebec public health insurance board
From 1988 to 1995, ECT treatments increased by 80%.
Women received two thirds of ECT treatments.
865 ECT treatments to persons 75 and older.
101 to persons 85 and older.
The journal reports there has been a big return to ECT in the U.S., affecting a growing number of aging persons, and also young persons, as young as 8 years old.
They refer to a study in New England Journal of Medicine which shows that the remittance from depression is extremely short term, hence shock treatments are normally repeated every 1 - 3 months. This period is also, coincidentally, that of “short term” side effects (confusion, memory loss, etc)
However, Quebec Science refers to a major survey in California (n=12310, 1989-1994) where 20% of respondents report memory losses exceeding 3 months after treatment.

In Quebec, 1995:
20% of ECT for persons 70 and older
42% for 60 and older
30% for *women* 60 and older
16 medical doctors, 1.5% of the psychiatric profession, prescribed almost 50% of ECT
90% of ECT was given by only 12% of psychiatrists.

Added: Jul 22, 2006 12:18 pm | Trackback URI |  Email This Post  | Print