Table 2

Relationship between correlates and childhood morbidity in sub-Saharan Africa

VariablesHad fever
(n=189 069)
Had cough
(n=189 069)
Had diarrhoea
(n=189 069)
No n (%)Yes n (%)P valueNo n (%)Yes n (%)P valueNo n (%)Yes n (%)P value
 Mother’s age147 083 (77.8)41 986 (22.2)145 324 (76.9)43 709 (23.1)158 885 (84.0)30 205 (16.0)
 15–2440 550 (76.5)12 433 (23.5)39 726 (75.0)13 249 (25.0)42 709 (80.6)10 278 (19.4)
 25–3472 025 (78.3)19 968 (21.7)70 964 (77.2)21 010 (22.8)78 009 (84.8)13 997 (15.2)
 35+34 508 (78.3)9585 (21.7)<0.00134 634 (78.6)9450 (21.4)<0.00138 167 (86.6)5930 (13.4)<0.001
Education
 None61 694 (79.6)15 849 (20.4)64 353 (83.0)13 165 (17.0)65 514 (84.5)12 046 (15.5)
 Primary48 041 (75.0)15 991 (25.0)46 529 (72.7)17 501 (27.3)53 000 (82.8)11 035 (17.2)
 Secondary/higher37 348 (78.6)10 146 (21.4)<0.00134 442 (72.5)13 043 (27.5)<0.00140 371 (85.0)7124 (15.0)<0.001
Household wealth
 Poorest38 207 (76.6)11 674 (23.4)38 525 (77.3)11 346 (22.7)41 449 (83.1)8438 (16.9)
 Poorer31 283 (76.6)9541 (23.4)31 502 (77.2)9313 (22.8)33 892 (83.0)6939 (17.0)
 Middle28 210 (77.7)8099 (22.3)28 054 (77.3)8251 (22.7)30 528 (84.1)5784 (15.9)
 Richer26 123 (78.6)7101 (21.4)25 480 (76.7)7732 (23.3)28 123 (84.6)5103 (15.4)
 Richest23 260 (80.7)5571 (19.3)<0.00121 763 (75.5)7067 (24.5)<0.00124 893 (86.3)3941 (13.7)<0.001
Residence
 Urban45 365 (79.3)11 820 (20.7)43 286 (75.7)13 891 (24.3)48 438 (84.7)8756 (15.3)
 Rural101 718 (77.1)30 166 (22.9)<0.001102 038 (77.4)29 818 (22.6)<0.001110 447 (83.7)21 449 (16.3)<0.001
Employment
 Not working57 101 (81.0)13 358 (19.0)55 850 (79.3)14 596 (20.7)59 368 (84.2)11 104 (15.8)
 Working82 252 (75.9)26 127 (24.1)<0.00182 906 (76.5)25 452 (23.5)<0.00190 852 (83.8)17 532 (16.2)0.018
Media exposure
 Not exposed55 704 (78.2)15 575 (21.9)56 507 (79.3)14 754 (20.7)59 805 (83.9)11 489 (16.1)
 Exposed91 181 (77.6)26 330 (22.4)0.00588 612 (75.4)28 881 (24.6)<0.00198 847 (84.1)18 672 (15.9)0.193
ANC attendance
 Never attended13 127 (78.2)3667 (21.8)13 579 (80.9)3212 (19.1)13 863 (82.5)2933 (17.5)
 Attended87 661 (75.4)28 559 (24.6)<0.00185 769 (73.8)30 441 (26.2)<0.00194 270 (81.1)21 952 (18.9)<0.001
Sex of child
 Male73 928 (77.6)21 397 (22.4)73 337 (77.0)21 972 (23.0)79 589 (83.5)15 751 (16.5)
 Female73 155 (78.0)20 589 (22.0)0.01171 987 (76.8)21 737 (23.2)0.47379 296 (84.0)14 454 (16.0)<0.001
Child’s age (months)
 0–1132 928 (78.3)9110 (21.7)32 016 (76.2)10 016 (23.8)34 213 (81.4)7825 (18.6)
 12–2328 408 (72.6)10 748 (27.4)28 559 (73.0)10 590 (27.0)29 189 (74.5)9970 (25.5)
 24–5985 747 (79.5)22 128 (20.5)<0.00184 749 (78.6)23 103 (21.4)<0.00195 483 (88.5)12 410 (11.5)<0.001
Ever had vaccine
 No11 081 (83.3)2216 (16.7)11 348 (85.4)1946 (14.6)11 574 (87.0)1727 (13.0)
 Yes37 101 (76.0)11 693 (24.0)<0.00137 118 (76.1)11 654 (23.9)<0.00140 244 (82.5)8557 (17.5)<0.001
Birth order
 First-order birth82 792 (78.4)22 812 (21.6)80 074 (75.8)25 517 (24.2)88 713 (84.0)16 908 (16.0)
 Second-order birth45 001 (77.4)13 120 (22.6)45 363 (78.1)12 745 (21.9)48 914 (84.2)9208 (15.8)
 Third or higher order birth19 290 (76.1)6054 (23.9)<0.00119 887 (78.5)5447 (21.5)<0.00121 258 (83.9)4089 (16.1)0.519
Child’s size at birth
 Large47 096 (76.4)14 562 (23.6)46 827 (76.0)14 822 (24.0)51 136 (82.9)10 526 (17.1)
 Average67 693 (79.6)17 338 (20.4)67 422 (79.3)17 643 (20.7)72 709 (85.4)12 385 (14.6)
 Small22 132 (75.6)7145 (24.4)<0.00122 022 (75.2)7246 (24.8)<0.00123 857 (81.5)5423 (18.5)<0.001
Source of water
 Improved94 890 (78.0)26 776 (22.0)93 071 (76.5)28 565 (23.5)102 471 (84.2)19 205 (15.8)
 Non-improved49 569 (77.4)14 461 (22.6)0.00449 768 (77.7)14 256 (22.3)<0.00153 660 (83.8)10 381 (16.2)0.017
Type of toilet facility
 Improved56 106 (78.3)15 552 (21.7)53 814 (75.1)17 804 (24.9)60 637 (84.7)10 995 (15.4)
 Non-improved88 346 (77.5)25 722 (22.5)<0.00189 014 (78.1)25 028 (21.9)<0.00195 494 (83.7)18 591 (16.3)<0.001
  • ANC, antenatal care.