Treatment outcomes of electroconvulsive therapy And its associated factors at Ethiopian hospitals, apre Post study

Abstract

Introduction: Electro convulsive therapy is the effective somatic treatment for a range of mental illnesses, including catatonia, depression with severe suicidality, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and mental illness during pregnancy. Objective: To assess the treatment outcomes of electroconvulsive therapy and its associated factors at Ethiopian hospitals, Ethiopia, (2024- 2025). Methods: pre-post study design was conducted at Jimma medical center and Eka kotobe hospital from November 2024 to march 2025. 59 participants were included; consecutive sampling technique was used. Continuous variables were analyzed in the form of mean and standard deviation. Categorical variables were summed up as frequency and percentages. Difference between two means before and after Electro convulsive therapy was analyzed by using paired t test. Chi-square test was applied to analyze the relationship between categorical variables. Fisher’s-exact test was used wherever chi-square test assumptions did not meet Cochrane criteria. A logistic regression was used to identify association between treatment outcomes of ECT and its associated factors. 95% confidence intervals and P-value of < 0.05 was considered as statically significant. Result; the mean score of post Electro convulsive therapy brief psychiatry rating scale was decreased by 38.44(SD=±28.89) with p value of (p=<0.001). Based on this, Out of total 59 patients 42(71.2%) of patients respond for treatment of Electro convulsive therapy. The response rate is 75%(9), 88.9%(16), 61.5%(8), 75%(12) and77.8%(7) for depression, catatonia, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and suicidal behavior respectively. Employment status, Number of episode, Duration of current episode, Frequency of Electro convulsive therapy, Duration of seizure, current substance use, stress, and social supports were found to be associated with outcomes of ECT. Conclusion; Electro convulsive therapy is effective treatment for psychiatry conditions with high response rate and low side effect reports