Belief in safety and ethicality associated with willingness to undergo electroconvulsive therapy among employees of universities and the other research institution

Attendees of an occupational mental health lecture conducted by A University, B Research Institute, and C University in Japan participated in this study. Table 1 Factors associated with willingness to undergo ECT WiIlngness to undergo ECT (n = 100) Willingness not to undergo ECT (n = 81) Crude odds ratio (95% CI) p-value Adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) p-value Age (years) 20–29 34 (34.0) 37 (45.7) Reference Reference 30–39 44 (44.0) 32 (39.5) 1.50 (0.78–2.87) 0.23 1.52 (0.57–4.08) 0.40 40–49 20 (20.0) 10 (12.3) 2.18 (0.89–5.30) 0.09 3.22 (0.94–11.3) 0.06 60–69 and older 2 (1.4) 2 (2.5) 1.09 (0.15–8.16) 0.93 5.59 (0.24–128) 0.28 Male 73 (73.0) 46 (56.8) 2.06 (1.10–3.84) 0.02 2.55 (1.02–6.38) 0.045 Occupation Researcher 7 (7.0) 7 (8.6) Reference Reference Technician for research work 20 (20.0) 22 (27.2) 0.91 (0.27–3.05) 0.88 2.24 (0.35–14.4) 0.40 Clerical worker 65 (65.0) 47 (58.0) 1.38 (0.45–4.21) 0.57 2.82 (0.50–15.8) 0.24 Student 7 (7.0) 3 (3.7) 2.32 (0.42–12.9) 0.33 4.19 (0.35–50.4) 0.26 Others 1 (1.0) 2 (2.5) 0.50 (0.04–6.86) 0.60 0.77 (0.03–23.0) 0.88 High quiz score on ECT's knowledge (approximately the top 50% of the population and above) 66 (66.0) 37 (45.7) 2.31 (1.26–4.21) 0.006 1.56 (0.70–3.48) 0.28 You would like to consult a psychiatrist or others in the first help-seeking if you had major depressive disorder 52 (52.0) 26 (32.1) 2.29 (1.25–4.22) 0.008 2.50 (1.11–5.66) 0.03 The belief that ECT is efficacious 64 (64.0) 25 (30.9) 3.98 (2.13–7.43) < 0.001 0.77 (0.29–2.03) 0.60 The belief that ECT is safe 53 (53.0) 9 (11.1) 9.02 (4.07–20.0) < 0.001 2.85 (1.05–7.76) 0.04 The belief that ECT is ethical 76 (76.0) 15 (18.5) 13.9 (6.75–28.8) < 0.001 13.0 (4.67 − 36.1) < 0.001 Willingness to undergo ECT was positively associated with the belief that ECT is safe and ethical. Efficacy and safety of electroconvulsive therapy in depressive disorders: a systematic review and meta‐analysis. A randomized controlled trial comparing the memory effects of continuation electroconvulsive therapy versus continuation pharmacotherapy: results from the Consortium for Research in ECT (CORE) study.