@article{6f060f77abb54c6394bb7b6e5136c5c0,
title = "Challenging stigma and attitudes towards ECT via an educational video",
abstract = "While electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective therapeutic modality for the treatment of mental illness, negative attitudes and stigma exist about ECT in the general community and even within health services. Investigating interventions that improve the attitudes of health professionals towards ECT is beneficial as this reduces stigma and increases the acceptability of ECT for consumers. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the change in attitude of nursing graduates and medical students towards ECT by watching an educational video. The secondary aim was to compare health professional attitudes to those of the general community. An educational video was co-designed with consumers and members of the mental health Lived Experience (Peer) Workforce Team about ECT outlining the procedure, side effects, treatment considerations and lived experiences. Nursing graduates and medical students completed the ECT Attitude Questionnaire (EAQ) prior to and after watching the video. Descriptive statistics, paired samples t-tests and one sample t-tests were completed. One hundred and twenty-four participants completed pre- and post- questionnaires. Attitudes towards ECT significantly improved after watching the video. Positive responses towards ECT increased from 67.09% to 75.72%. Participants in this study reported higher positive attitudes towards ECT than members of the general public before and after watching the intervention. Results indicated that the video educational intervention was effective in improving attitudes towards ECT for nursing graduates and medical students. While the video is promising as an educational tool, further research is required to explore the use of the video in reducing stigma for consumers and carers.",
author = "Shanthi Sarma and Besalat Hussain and Titta Gigante and Angela Davies and Rebecca Watson and Grace Branjerdporn",
note = "Funding Information: The authors identified a need for an educational video to facilitate improved knowledge and reduce stigma towards ECT for consumers. As such, the below sections describe the process which was undertaken to co‐design the video: Identifying the need: The peer worker/carer peer worker (i.e. a person with a lived/living experience of mental illness) searched the Internet for suitable videos for consumers to better understand ECT, but none were found to be appropriate. Many were too long for the attention span of consumers who were severely depressed; not engaging; had limited lived experience voice; showed a bad re‐creation of the ECT procedure or were dated and had poor videography quality. As such, the authors identified a gap and the peer worker/carer peer worker was the main driver for developing the video. Applying for funding: The neurostimulation team applied for funding in an internal hospital and health service innovation grant scheme. The first stage of the grant process included completing an application form providing justification for the project. In the second stage, the neurostimulation team, comprising of nursing staff, medical staff and peer workers, delivered a research pitch. The team was awarded $50 000 to produce ECT videos within 1 year. Stakeholder engagement: All staff within the team were actively involved and supported the project including the Senior Peer Coordinator/Senior Carer Peer Coordinator, Nurse Unit Manager and Medical Director. Consumer engagement: To ensure the lived experience voice was highlighted, the Senior Peer Coordinator/Senior Carer Peer Coordinator invited consumers and Peer Workers with the hospital and health service to submit their expression of interest to be part of the video. Many consumers who were at various stages in their recovery and ECT treatment were interested in speaking about their experience. It was also identified that it was important to follow the journey of a real consumer having ECT rather than an actor. Consumer input was utilized in every stage such as conceptualizing the video, developing the script, speaking in the video and reviewing the video prior to finalization. Consumers were remunerated for their time. Planning the video: It was identified that the ECT videos be created similar in style to other consumer videos about medical procedures (e.g. Medical Resonance Imaging [MRI], gynaecology) that were being produced by the health service at the time. This was to be consistent and akin to any other health procedure, and thus reduce stigma. Consequently, the same videography company was engaged to produce the video. Environment: The video was filmed in a local park as well as in the hospital garden and hospital clinical space. Selecting the actors: Once the filming started, one of the consumers stood out as being very eloquent and was asked to narrate the video. She was a drama teacher who had received ECT. As such, she had a professional voice and provided depth as someone with lived experience. Storyboarding: When planning the video, there were discussions surrounding whether or not the ECT paddles should be shown or not. In the end, the paddles were considered as stigmatizing and some services used thymapads, so the decision was made to not include this. Variety of videos: Two videos ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjoS31JC0As and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEot7ow3yfk ) were ultimately created to provide information for the general public, and consumers, families and carers. Further considerations: On the day of filming, the consumer/carer consultant was present to support the consumers who were sharing their story. Being mindful of the mental state of the consumers was important as some of the consumers were still undergoing treatment and in the process of recovery from depression. Accessibility: The authors considered monetizing the video, but a decision was made that having the video freely accessible for the public was far more important to fight stigma. The video is available on YouTube and Vimeo under creative commons licencing. Promoting the video: Once the videos were ready, there was a large film launch and celebratory dinner with the team. The video had increased reach by being shared at national mental health nursing and medical conferences. Following this, the video promotion took on a life of its own, being shared internationally in various social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and medical chat groups. The video has also received wider recognition with being endorsed by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatry as an official information video. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 Commonwealth of Australia. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing {\textcopyright} 2023 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.",
year = "2023",
month = mar,
day = "2",
doi = "10.1111/inm.13134",
language = "English",
volume = "32",
pages = "884--892",
journal = "International Journal of Mental Health Nursing",
issn = "1324-3780",
publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",
number = "3",
}
