Table 1 Socio-demographic characteristics of study participants
Background characteristics | Senti | Mgona | Ntandire | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|  | N = 110 (%) | N = 188 (%) | N = 245 (%) | N = 543 (%) |
Sex | ||||
 Male | 3 (2.7%) | 4 (2.1%) | 2 (0.8%) | 9 (1.7%) |
 Female | 107 (97.3%) | 184 (97.9%) | 243 (99.2%) | 534 (98.3%) |
Age of caregivers (years) | ||||
 16–25 | 48 (43.6%) | 81 (43.1%) | 103 (42%) | 232 (42.7%) |
 26–30 | 27 (24.5%) | 54 (28.7%) | 77 (31.4%) | 158 (29.1%) |
  ≥ 31 | 35 (31.8%) | 53 (28.2%) | 65 (26.5%) | 153 (28.2%) |
Education level of caregivers | ||||
 No education / Junior Primary | 23 (20.9%) | 56(29.8%) | 47 (19.2%) | 126 (23.2%) |
 Senior Primary | 47 (42.7%) | 90 (47.9%) | 118 (48.2%) | 255 (47%) |
 Secondary and above | 40 (36.4%) | 42 (22.3%) | 80 (32.7%) | 162 (29.8%) |
Age of children (months) | ||||
 1–11 | 18(16.4%) | 41 (21.8%) | 55 (22.4%) | 114 (21%) |
 12–23 | 32 (29.1%) | 42 (22.3%) | 51 (20.8%) | 125 (23%) |
 24–36 | 40 (36.4%) | 55 (29.3%) | 67 (27.3%) | 162 (29.8%) |
 37–53 | 20 (18.2%) | 50 (25.8%) | 72 (29.4%) | 142 (25.9%) |
Autonomy of caregivers | ||||
 Low autonomy | 45 (40.9%) | 67(35.6%) | 98 (40%) | 210 (38.7%) |
 High autonomy | 65 (59.1%) | 121 (64.4%) | 147 (60%) | 333 (61.3%) |
Social Capital | ||||
 Low | 48 (43.6%) | 78 (41.5%) | 94 (38.4%) | 219 (40.5%) |
 High | 62 (56.4%) | 110 (58.5%) | 151 (61.6%) | 323(59.5%) |
Marital Status | ||||
 Single/Divorced/Widow | 15 (3.6%) | 17 (9.1%) | 21 (8.6%) | 53 (9.8%) |
 Married | 95 (86.4%) | 171 (90.9%) | 224 (91.4%) | 490 (90.2%) |
Maternal ethnicity | ||||
 Chewa | 44 (40%) | 53 (28.2%) | 76 (31%) | 173 (31.9%) |
 Ngoni | 23 (20.9%) | 53 (28.2%) | 74 (30.2%) | 150 (27.6%) |
 Lomwe | 23 (20.9%) | 37 (19.7%) | 38 (15.5%) | 98 (18.%) |
 Others | 20 (18.2%) | 45 (23.9%) | 57 (23.3%) | 122 (22.5%) |