Table 3 Maternal, household and community characteristics of boys (n = 189) and girls (n = 192), Agincourt 2007

Maternal characteristics (2 years previously)

Age (years)

 24–34

58

36.3

47

29.9

 35–49

69

46.3

92

58.6

 50+

22

14.8

18

11.5

Education

 No formal education

38

29.5

39

30.2

 Primary education

36

27.9

33

25.6

 Secondary education

46

35.7

51

39.5

 Higher than secondary

9

7.0

6

4.7

Nationality

 South African

100

67.1

102

65

 Mozambican

49

32.9

55

35

Marital/union status

 Currently in union

86

53.8

90

53.3

 Not in union

74

46.3

79

46.7

Co-residence with child

 Alive, co-residing

134

83.8

137

81.1

 Alive, not co-residing

14

8.8

21

12.4

 Dead

12

7.5

11

6.5

Household characteristics (2 years previously)

Age of household head (years)

 15–34

7

4.4

4

2.4

 35–49

65

40.6

68

40.2

 50+

88

55

97

57.4

Sex of household head

 Male

106

66.3

118

69.8

 Female

54

33.7

51

30.2

Household head education

 No formal education

69

48.6

73

48.7

 Primary education

47

33.1

39

26

 Secondary education

25

17.6

33

22

 Higher than secondary

1

0.7

5

3.3

Household head relationship to child

 Parent

99

62.7

107

63.3

 Grandparent

49

31.0

52

30.8

 Other

10

6.3

10

5.9

Enough food

 Yes, food secure

127

81.4

138

82.6

 No, food insecure

29

18.6

29

17.4

SES (wealth index tertile)

 Lowest

54

34.0

61

36.3

 Medium

60

37.7

49

29.2

 Highest

45

28.3

58

34.5

Community characteristics (2 years previously)

Area of residence

 Predominantly South Africa

151

94.4

155

91.7

 Predominantly Mozambican

9

5.6

14

8.3