Table 3.
Negative binomial regression model examining the association between women’s empowerment and the ideal number of children for low and middle resource countries
| Dependent variable: women ideal number of children | Unadjusted | Adjusted |
| Women’s empowerment | IRR (95% CI) | IRR (95% CI) |
| No voice of women in all three decisions (ref) | ||
| Has any voice in three household decision | 0.76† (0.75 to 0.77) | 0.92† (0.91 to 0.93) |
| At least one reason is rationalised for wife-beating (ref) | ||
| No reason is rationalised for wife-beating | 0.83† (0.82 to 0.84) | 0.96† (0.95 to 0.97) |
| Husband’s influence | ||
| Husband’s preferred number of offspring | 1.05† (1.04 to 1.06) | 1.03† (1.02 to 1.04) |
| Socio-economic and demographic characteristics | ||
| Age difference | 1.02† (1.01 to 1.03) | 0.97† (0.96 to 0.98) |
| Educational difference | 1.04† (1.03 to 1.05) | 0.90† (0.89 to 0.91) |
| Age at first marriage | 0.98† (0.97 to 0.99) | 0.90† (0.88 to 0.92) |
| Going to healthcare centre is not permitted (ref) | ||
| Going to healthcare centre is permitted | 0.84† (0.83 to 0.85) | 0.95† (0.94 to 0.96) |
| Women education | ||
| No education (ref) | ||
| Primary | 0.84† (0.83 to 0.85) | 0.97† (0.96 to 0.98) |
| Secondary | 0.64† (0.63 to 0.65) | 0.90† (0.89 to 0.91) |
| Higher | 0.57† (0.56 to 0.58) | 0.90† (0.88 to 0.92) |
| Residence type | ||
| Urban (ref) | ||
| Rural | 1.29† (1.28 to 1.30) | 1.01* (0.99 to 1.02) |
| Wealth index | ||
| Poorest (ref) | ||
| Poor | 0.91† (0.90 to 0.92) | 0.98† (0.97 to 0.99) |
| Middle | 0.85† (0.84 to 0.86) | 0.97† (0.96 to 0.98) |
| Rich | 0.79† (0.78 to 0.80) | 0.97† (0.96 to 0.98) |
| Richest | 0.69† (0.68 to 0.70) | 1.01† (0.99 to 1.02) |
| Role of media on family planning (radio, television or newspaper) | ||
| No exposure (ref) | ||
| At least any exposure | 0.79† (0.78 to 0.80) | 0.93† (0.92 to 0.94) |
| Polygamous union | ||
| No (ref) | ||
| Yes | 1.60† (1.58 to 1.62) | 1.11† (1.10 to 1.12) |
| Employment status | ||
| No work in the preceding year (ref) | ||
| At least work in preceding year | 1.16† (1.15 to 1.17) | 1.10† (1.09 to 1.11) |
| Women living children | ||
| No children (ref) | ||
| 1–2 | 0.85† (0.83 to 0.88) | 0.91† (0.88 to 0.93) |
| 3–4 | 1.20† (1.17 to 1.24) | 1.19† (1.16 to 1.23) |
| 5+ | 1.88† (1.83 to 1.93) | 1.58† (1.54 to 1.62) |
| Wife contraceptive decision | ||
| No decision (ref) | ||
| At least any decision | 0.90† (0.88 to 0.91) | 0.95† (0.94 to 0.97) |
*P<0.05.
†P<0.001.
IRR, incidence rate ratio; ref, reference.