Attitudes About ECT in Hungary

Out on PubMed, from researchers in Hungary, is this article:

[The public's attitudes towards electroconvulsive therapy in Hungary].

Asztalos M, Könye P, Gazdag G.Ideggyogy Sz. 2020 Sep 30;73(9-10):311-316. doi: 10.18071/isz.73.0311.PMID: 33035417
The abstract is copied below:

Background and purpose: This research focused on the knowledge and attitude toward to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the general population of Hungary. There are only a few studies in the international literature focusing on the public's attitude towards ECT, and no such study has been published from Hungary.

Methods: Participants were reached through social media and asked to fill out a semi-structured questionnaire on internet that comprised seventeen questions. Participation in the survey was entirely voluntary and anonymous. Participants of the survey were not working in health care; their answers to the questionnaire were compared to those of health-care workers.

Results: The result showed a significant difference between healthcare workers' and lay people's knowledge and attitude towards ECT. Two third of lay participants have never heard about ECT. Those familiar with ECT were relatively well-informed about its certain aspects yet rejection of ECT was significantly higher in the group of lay participants than in health-care workers.

Conclusion: Lay people's incomplete knowledge and negative attitude towards ECT was confirmed by this survey. The dissemination of reliable information - which should be the shared responsibility of mental health professionals and the media - would be vitally important to disperse the prejudices and doubts about ECT.

Keywords: Hungary; attitude; electroconvulsive therapy; health-care workers; lay people.

It is helpful to have another survey article to document the ongoing lack of knowledge of ECT among the public. "The dissemination of reliable information-which should be the shared responsibility of mental health professionals and the media," is exactly the correct sentiment.
Dr. Gabor Gazdag is a prominent Hungarian ECT scholar and practitioner.
The problem of ignorance about modern ECT is the same in eastern Europe as it is in most places in the world. 

As we recently wrote (When to consider electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Kellner CH, Obbels J, Sienaert P. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2020 Apr;141(4):304-315):









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