Table 2.

Selected measures among women in matched couples in 53 low and middle resource countries, Demographic and Health Survey 2006–2018

Variables	Percentage/mean
Husbands’ ideal number of children (mean)*	4.64
Decision-making†
Any voice of women in all three decisions (%)	61.14
Women voice count in household decision (0–3) (mean)	2.23
Attitudes toward wife-beating‡
No reason is rationalised for wife-beating (%)	57.34
Count of reasons for which wife-beating is rationalised (0–5) (mean)	3.8
Gender-related variables
Interspousal age difference (mean years)	4.72
Interspousal education difference (mean years)	0.27
Age at first marriage (mean)	19.5
Going to healthcare centre is permitted (%)	83.5
Contraceptive decision
Wife has taken alone or jointly	91.41
Socio-economic and demographic characteristics
Residence (%)
Rural	60.95
Urban	39.05
Household wealth index (%)
Poorest	17.46
Poor	19.41
Middle	19.89
Rich	20.86
Richest	22.38
Education (%)
No education	35.96
Primary	26.66
Secondary and more	28.14
Higher	9.23
Polygamous union (%)
No	88.34
Yes	11.66
No. of living children (%)
0	2.61
1–2	29.88
3–4	34.80
5 and more	32.71
Any media exposure on family planning§
No	49.79
Yes	50.21
Employment status
No work in last 1 year	41.17
At least work in last 1 year	58.83

*Non-numerical replies added as mean of preferred number of children.

†Final say of women either alone or jointly with husband regarding own healthcare, household purchase and family visit and kin.

‡Whether a husband is justified in beating his wife if she goes out without telling him, negligent towards their offspring, a quarrel with the male partner, declines to engage in sexual relations with the husband or burns the meal.

§Any exposure of media like radio, television and newspaper regarding family planning in last 1 year.