Junior medical students’ knowledge about and attitudes towards electroconvulsive therapy in a South African setting

摘要

BackgroundAlthough electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a safe and effective treatment modality with a long history of use in psychiatry, it remains controversial owing to misconceptions and negative attitudes among the public and medical profession. The aim of this study was to explore the state of knowledge and attitudes towards ECT among a sample of South African medical students.