Table 2.
Characteristics of mothers and children
| Variables | Frequency (n) | Percent (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Age of mothers in years | ||
| 15 to 24 | 1030 | 50.0 |
| 25 to 34 | 759 | 36.9 |
| 35 and above | 270 | 13.1 |
| Education of mothers | ||
| No education | 243 | 11.8 |
| Primary | 1344 | 65.3 |
| Secondary | 432 | 20.9 |
| Higher | 40 | 1.9 |
| Religion of mothers | ||
| Muslim | 909 | 44.2 |
| Christian | 1139 | 55.3 |
| Other | 11 | 0.5 |
| Region of mothers | ||
| Northern region | 380 | 18.5 |
| Central region | 674 | 32.7 |
| Southern region | 1005 | 48.8 |
| Ethnicity of mothers | ||
| Chewa | 605 | 29.0 |
| Tumbuka | 222 | 10.8 |
| Lomwe | 336 | 16.3 |
| Tonga | 76 | 3.7 |
| Yao | 287 | 13.9 |
| Sena | 119 | 5.8 |
| Nkhonde | 18 | 0.9 |
| Ngoni | 237 | 11.5 |
| Mang’anja | 53 | 2.6 |
| Nyanja | 49 | 2.4 |
| Other | 57 | 2.8 |
| Employment status of mothers | ||
| Yes | 1151 | 55.9 |
| No | 908 | 44.1 |
| Wealth index of mothers | ||
| Poorest | 466 | 22.6 |
| Poorer | 454 | 22.1 |
| Middle | 390 | 18.9 |
| Richer | 379 | 18.4 |
| Richest | 370 | 17.9 |
| Marital status | ||
| Never in union | 131 | 6.4 |
| Married | 1742 | 82.6 |
| Widowed/Divorced | 186 | 9.1 |
| Number of children of mothers | ||
| 1–2 | 1064 | 51.7 |
| 3–4 | 613 | 29.8 |
| 5 and above | 382 | 18.6 |
| Sex of Infants | ||
| Male | 1027 | 49.9 |
| Female | 1032 | 50.1 |
| Age of infants | ||
| 0–2 months | 873 | 42.4 |
| 3–4 months | 573 | 27.8 |
| 5–6 months | 613 | 29.8 |
Note: Wealth category was derived based on data from the household’s ownership of consumer goods, dwelling characteristics, type of drinking water source, toilets facilities