The comparison of obstetric complication histories of individuals with childhood-onset schizophrenia vs. adult-onset schizophrenia, a multi-site feasibility study

grantor: University of TorontoThe present study examined the feasibility of conducting a comparative study of obstetric complication (OC) histories among individuals with childhood-onset schizophrenia and adu.lt-onset schizophrenia. Using a retrospective case-control design, subjects were identified from facilities in the Greater Toronto Area and their psychiatric charts and/or hospital birth records were examined with respect to diagnostic, demographic, and OC information. Research questions pertaining to issues of sample size requirements, data quality, and potential for measurement bias served to address the feasibility of the proposed study. The results showed that sample size requirements were met for the adult-onset schizophrenia group, but not for the childhood-onset schizophrenia group. The findings also demonstrated poor quality of OC data from psychiatric charts, difficulty in obtaining patient birth records, and the potential for bias with respect to the ascertainment of OC data in psychiatric charts and birth records, and in the reporting of OC information in the psychiatric charts. The findings suggest that based on the design and resources used in this study, the comparative study would not be feasible.M.Sc