Quebec public health insurance board statistics

• 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.

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