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Table 3. Percentage of children with below average school performance on different items according to background characteristics.

Variable School outcome measures (%) All
Behavior Language Arithmetic Science IT Sports
Total 9.4 15.7 16.4 16.8 10.7 5.4 12.4
Birth weighta, b,c,d,e,f
LBW 16.6 33.3 34.4 32.3 28.1 9.4 25.7
NBW 7.8 11.9 12.3 13.5 7.0 4.5 9.5
Types of schoola,c,d,e,f
Public 10.6 16.6 19.8 18.9 12.6 6.7 14.2
Private 4.7 12.1 2.8 8.4 2.8 0.0 5.1
Place of residencea,e
Muscat 10.6 16.7 16.7 16.1 9.4 5.0 12.4
A’Dhahirah 4.7 11.3 15.1 19.8 16.0 6.6 12.3
Gendera,b
Boy 11.5 19.2 17.7 19.2 10.4 4.2 13.7
Girl 7.4 12.4 15.2 14.5 11.0 6.4 11.2
Agec,e
7–9 8.6 16.4 18.8 16.9 12.1 5.9 13.1
10–11 11.2 14.1 11.2 16.5 7.6 4.1 10.8
Birth order
1 6.0 14.7 16.4 18.1 11.2 3.4 11.6
2–4 10.9 15.7 15.0 14.6 8.0 4.4 11.4
5+ 9.2 16.4 19.1 19.7 15.1 8.6 14.7
Birth interval (years)
<2 12.7 16.9 21.2 19.5 12.7 4.2 14.5
≥2 8.5 15.3 15.1 16.0 10.1 5.7 11.8
Family size
1–2 11.0 16.8 15.6 16.8 11.6 4.0 12.6
3–4 8.0 10.7 14.4 13.4 5.9 4.3 9.5
5+ 9.3 19.8 19.2 20.3 14.8 7.7 15.2
Economic statusb,c,d
Low-income family 8.6 24.8 22.2 23.5 13.6 2.5 15.9
Middle-high income family 7.9 14.2 15.2 14.9 10.5 6.0 11.5
Mother’s educationb,c,d,e
Less than secondary 9.5 20.7 21.2 22.5 15.3 6.3 15.9
Secondary and above 9.4 12.2 13.1 12.8 7.5 4.7 10.0
Mother’s employmentb,c,d
House-wife 9.6 17.7 18.2 19.2 11.9 6.1 13.8
Employed 8.8 10.2 11.6 10.2 7.5 3.4 8.6
Father’s educationb,d,e
Less than secondary 12.6 21.0 18.9 22.4 15.4 6.3 16.1
Secondary and above 8.3 13.8 15.5 14.8 9.0 5.0 11.1

a Indicates significant effect (p<0.050) on behavioral difficulties; b indicates significant effect (p<0.050) on language difficulties; c indicates significant effect (p<0.050) on arithmetic difficulties; d indicates significant effect (p<0.050) on science difficulties; e indicates significant effect (p<0.050) on information technology (IT) difficulties; f indicates significant effect (p<0.050) on sports difficulties