ASSOCIATION OF ORDER OF BIRTH WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

Objectives: To asses the association between Birth Order and Schizophrenia in relation to other demographic factors Methodology: A cross sectional study was done and data of twelve hundred and eight patients were evaluated and managed in the psychiatric department of Isra University Hospital, Hyderabad. Eighty two Schizophrenics were compared with the rest of the psychiatric population with reference to gender, catchment area, and family type. Results: Statistically no significant difference was found between any of the birth order for the risk of Schizophrenia. Risk of Schizophrenia appears to be minimum in first born males, and maximum in first born females, but this does not reach statistical significance. Risk apparently seems to decrease as birth order goes down among urban setting; and decrease as birth order goes up; but again this finding does not reach the level of statistical significance. Conclusion: There appears to be no association between any birth order and risk of Schizophrenia, in our studied population.