ECT in metropolitan New York hospitals: a survey of practice, 1975-1976.

Of New York psychiatric facilities surveyed, 83% used ECT. Five percent of patients in university and private nonprofit hospitals, less than 1% in public hospitals, and 21% in private for-profit hospitals received ECT. Practices and procedures were remarkably uniform, except that less than 17% of units used unilateral ECT. Training programs were minimal and unplanned. Differences in incidence of use result from staff training, public antipathy, and economic factors.