Racial differences in the availability and use of electroconvulsive therapy for recurrent major depression.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Black Americans with depression were less likely to receive electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) than whites during the 1970s and 80s. This pattern was commonly attributed to treatment of blacks in lower quality hospitals where ECT was unavailable. We investigated whether a racial difference in receiving ECT persists, and, if so, whether it arises from lesser ECT availability or from lesser ECT use within hospitals conducting the procedure.

Methods

Black or white inpatient stays for recurrent major depression from 1993 to 2007 (N=419,686) were drawn from an annual sample of US community hospital discharges. The marginal disparity ratio estimated adjusted racial differences in the probabilities of (1) admission to a hospital capable of conducting ECT (availability), and

SUBMITTER: Case BG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3442372 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature