Table 2.

Characteristics associated with CD4+ lymphocyte count of less than or equal to 200 cells/mm³ in the study participants (n = 515).^a

Characteristics	Total no. of women	Women with a CD4+ count ≤ 200 cells/mm3		OR (95% CI)	P valueb
		No.	(%)
Age, y
15–19	24	4	(16.7)	Referent	0.018c
20–24	143	43	(30.1)	2.15 (0.69–6.66)
25–29	213	81	(38.0)	3.07 (1.01–9.30)
≥ 30	127	56	(44.1)	3.94 (1.27–12.20)
Age at marriage, y
12–16	54	23	(42.6)	Referent	0.594
17–21	192	71	(37.0)	0.79 (0.43–1.46)
22–26	197	65	(32.3)	0.66 (0.36–1.23)
≥ 27	46	16	(34.8)	0.72 (0.32–1.62)
Education, y
0–11	299	111	(37.1)	Referent	0.558
≥ 12	211	73	(34.6)	0.90 (0.62–1.29)
Marital status
Married	471	172	(36.5)	Referent	0.473
Unmarried	39	12	(30.8)	0.77 (0.38–1.56)
Religion
Christian	414	143	(34.5)	Referent	0.064
Muslim	85	39	(45.9)	1. 61 (1.00–2.58)
Other	11	2	(18.2)	0.42 (0.09–1.97)
Occupation
Student	29	7	(24.1)	Referent	0.077
Unemployed	202	65	(32.2)	1.49 (0.61–3.67)
Employed	279	112	(40.1)	2.11 (0.87–5.10)
Number of pregnancies
1	123	42	(34.1)	Referent	0.005c
2	112	27	(24.1)	0.61 (0.35–1.08)
3	108	42	(38.9)	1.23 (0.72–2.10)
≥ 4	171	76	(44.4)	1.54 (0.96–2.49)
Age at first sexual intercourse, y
≤ 14	25	7	(28.0)	Referent	0.768
15–19	276	101	(36.6)	1.48 (0.60–3.67)
20–24	144	53	(36.8)	1.50 (0.59–3.82)
≥ 25	62	20	(32.3)	1.22 (0.44–3.40)
Aware of husband’s/partner’s HIV status
No	402	150	(37.3)	Referent	0.214
Yes	83	25	(30.12)	0.72 (0.43–1.21)
Genital ulcer in the last 12 months
No	383	126	(32.9)	Referent	0.004c
Yes	130	61	(46.9)	1.80 (1.20–2.70)
STI in the last 12 months
No	324	104	(32.1)	Referent	0.024c
Yes	128	58	(45.3)	1.75 (1.15–2.66)
Don’t know	59	24	(40.7)	1.45 (0.82–2.56)
Vaginal discharge in the last 12 months
No	213	61	(28.6)	Referent	0.006c
Yes	295	124	(42.0)	1.81 (1.24–2.63)
Don’t know	1	0	(0)	0
No. of symptoms of STI in the last 12 months
None	168	47	(28.0)	Referent	0.001c
1	172	58	(33.7)	1.31 (0.83–2.08)
2	120	53	(44.2)	2.04 (1.24–3.34)
3	45	26	(57.8)	3.52 (1.78–6.96)
Husband/partner has multiple sex partners
No	288	98	(34.0)	Referent	0.438
Yes	102	36	(35.3)	1.05 (0.66–1.70)
Don’t know	97	40	(41.2)	1.36 (0.85–2.18)
Number of sexual partners in the last 5 years
0–1	220	82	(37.3)	Referent	0.600
2	141	52	(36.9)	0.98 (0.63–1.52)
3	77	23	(29.9)	0.72 (0.41–1.25)
≥ 4	65	26	(40.0)	1.12 (0.64–1.98)
Condom use in the last 12 months
Always	16	2	(12.5)	Referent	0.022c
Sometimes	172	53	(30.8)	3.12 (0.68–14.20)
No	289	115	(39.8)	4.63 (1.03–20.74)
Circumcised
No	449	162	(36.1)	Referent	0.612
Yes	39	17	(43.6)	1.37 (0.71–2.65)
Don’t know	24	8	(33.3)	0.89 (0.37–2.11)
First pregnancy
No	392	147	(37.5)	Referent	0.375
Yes	121	40	(33.1)	0.82 (0.54–1.27)
Expect to deliver in the hospital
No	5	1	(20.0)	0.44 (0.05–3.97)	0.742
Yes	500	181	(36.2)	Referent
Don’t know	5	2	(40.0)	1.18 (0.19–7.10)
Previous breastfeeding
No	12	5	(41.7)	Referent	0.815
Yes	321	123	(38.3)	0.87 (0.27–2.80)
Intend to breastfeed
No	331	117	(35.4)	Referent	0.763
Yes	147	57	(38.8)	1.16 (0.78–1.73)
Don’t know	21	8	(38.1)	1.13 (0.45–2.79)

Abbreviations: OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval; STI, sexually transmitted infection.

^aNumbers do not always total 515 or 187 (the number of women with a cell count ≤200 cells/mm³) because of missing data.

^bValues are for the α² test.

^cSignificant at 5% level.