Table 1 Socio-demographic characteristics of mothers/caregivers of children under two in Dessie City, northeastern Ethiopia, January–February 2018

Age of mother/caregiver (years)

<  25 

Ref

25–34 

1.65(0.95–2.91)

>  34 

2.76(1.54–7.40)

Respondent relationship to child

Mother

Ref

Caregiver

1.3(0.50–2.00)

Marital status of mother/caregiver

Single

0.57(0.47–2.03)

Divorced/widowed

2.21(1.46–6.08)

Married

Ref

Religion

Muslim

0.95(0.37–2.49)

Christian

Ref

Ethnicity

Amhara

0.60(0.18–1.97)

Tigre

0.62(0.15–2.58)

Other^b

Ref

Mother/caregiver educational attainment

Illiterate

2.58(1.10–6.04)

Primary

1.50(0.78–2.84)

Secondary

1.78(1.03–3.07)

College or above

Ref

Mother/caregiver occupation

Government employee

1.06(0.61–1.83)

Private employee

1.79(0.89–3.59)

Hair dresser or barber

0.64(0.29–1.39)

Housewife

Ref

Educational status of child’s father

Illiterate

3.31(1.16–9.43)

Primary

1.81(0.91–3.63)

Secondary

0.84(0.49–1.47)

College or above

Ref

Occupation of child’s father

Government employee

Ref

Private employee

1.50(0.79–2.76)

Merchant

1.02(0.60–1.76)

Other^c

1.40(0.62–3.15)

Household monthly income ($ USD)

< $91.33

0.59(0.35–1.01)

> $91.33

Ref

Number of children under five years old in house

1

Ref

> 2

2.39(0.99–5.75)

Household size (persons)

<  5

0.72(0.41–1.26)

>  5

Ref

Occupancy status of the house

Rented

0.93(0.58–1.48)

Owned

Ref

Number of rooms in the house

1

1.36(0.75–2.48)

2

1.47(0.88–2.43)

> 3

Ref