Skip to main content

Table 1 Socio-demographic covariates, conflict, tsunami and mental disorder exposures with absenteeism

From: Impact of exposure to conflict, tsunami and mental disorders on school absenteeism: findings from a national sample of Sri Lankan children aged 12–17 years

Characteristic

Number in group N = 1505

Absenteeism% N = 404

Unadjusted OR (95% CI)

Gender

   

Female

729

26.9

Reference

Male

757

34.8

0.69 (0.54-0.87)

Age

   

12–14

1027

69.7

Reference

15–17

478

30.0

0.98 (0.76-1.27)

Ethnicity

   

Sinhala

1316

29.1

Reference

Tamil

153

50.4

2.47 (1.66-3.65)

Muslim

33

17.2

0.50 (0.19-1.33)

Type of school

   

Type 1AB

134

12.6

Reference

Type 1C

640

30.1

2.99 (1.58-5.62)

Type 2

693

34.0

3.56 (1.90-6.67)

Type 3

38

28.9

2.81 (1.11-7.11)

Maternal education

   

Less than grade 6

533

29.3

1.78 (1.21-2.61)

Grade 6 to O/L

598

28.9

2.75 (1.87-4.05)

More than O/L

262

18.5

Reference

Paternal education

   

Less than grade 6

541

37.3

2.17 (1.39-3.37)

Grade 6 to O/L

556

28.7

3.20 (2.06-4.96)

More than O/L

226

15.6

Reference

Area of residence

   

Rural

1,270

29.1

Reference

Suburban/urban

79

33.8

1.24 (0.74-2.06)

Coastal/plantations

135

46.5

2.11 (1.40-3.19)

Main caregiver

   

Mother/Father

1,407

31.3

Reference

Others

90

21.3

0.59 (0.33-1.04)

Conflict exposure

   

No exposure

1,327

30.1

Reference

Any exposure

120

36.2

1.32 (0.88-1.97)

Tsunami exposure

   

No exposure

1,369

29.6

Reference

Any exposure

65

49.1

2.29 (1.36-3.84)

Conflict and tsunami exposure

   

Exposure to conflict and tsunami

15

46.1

-

Mental disorder

   

No disorder

1,352

28.6

Reference

Any psychiatric disorder

127

49.1

2.40 (1.63-3.55)

Conduct disorder

87

48.6

2.29 (1.43-3.65)

Emotional disorder

41

51.2

2.48 (1.30-4.70)

Hyperactivity disorder

10

44.4

1.83 (0.49-6.87)

  1. CI Confidence Interval, OR Odds Ratio.
  2. Note: Absenteeism was calculated as the total number of days absent from the total number of available school days with a cut-off at 20%.
  3. Note: Statistically significant odds ratios are highlighted.