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Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the sample by Intervention (n = 636) and comparison (n = 674) groups

From: Community health workers impact on maternal and child health outcomes in rural South Africa – a non-randomized two-group comparison study

 

Intervention

(n = 636)

Comparison

(n = 674)

Total

(n = 1310)

n

(%)

n

(%)

n

(%)

Demographic characteristics

 Maternal age, median [range]

24 [14, 46]

23 [14, 50]

24 [14, 50]

 Highest education level, mean (SD)

8.7 (2.9)

8.9 (2.4)

8.8 (2.6)

Employment**

 Employed

48 (7.6)

32 (4.8)

80 (6.1)

 School

123 (19.4)

161 (24.0)

284 (21.8)

 Unemployed

464 (73.1)

478 (71.2)

942 (72.1)

Married or lives with partner*

257 (40.4)

236 (35.1)

493 (37.7)

Total grant income (> 2000 Rand)***

177 (28.6)

247 (37.9)

424 (33.4)

Total child support grant

577 (92.1)

588 (93.3)

1145 (92.7)

Access to electricity***

272 (42.8)

553 (82.1)

825 (63.0)

Access to safe water***a

607 (95.4)

264 (39.2)

871 (66.5)

Number of adults in household, mean (SD)

3.4 (1.9)

3.6 (2.0)

3.5 (2.0)

Number of children in household, mean (SD)

4.0 (1.9)

4.1 (1.9)

4.1 (1.9)

Alcohol

 Use alcohol during pregnancy

48 (7.6)

42 (6.2)

90 (6.9)

 Use alcohol before pregnancy

36 (5.7)

46 (6.8)

82 (6.3)

 Continued to use alcohol after pregnancy discovery

2 (18.2)

6 (37.5)

8 (29.6)

Maternal and Mental health

 Antenatal care

635 (99.8)

672 (99.7)

1307 (99.8)

 Total antenatal visits, mean (SD)***

4.3 (1.6)

3.9 (1.7)

4.1 (1.7)

 Total previous pregnancies, mean (SD) ***

1.5 (1.6)

1.3 (1.5)

1.4 (1.6)

 Number of live births, mean (SD)

2.1 (1.4)

2.0 (1.4)

2.1 (1.4)

 EPDS, median [range]

5 [0–27]

5 [0–30]

5 [0–30]

 EPDS > 13

79 (12.4)

86 (12.8)

165 (12.6)

 EPDS ≥18

26 (4.1)

31 (4.6)

57 (4.4)

HIV and Reproductive Health Behavior

 Tested for HIV during pregnancy

568 (89.6)

604 (89.9)

1172 (89.5)

 Mothers living with HIV

187 (29.6)

204 (30.4)

391 (30.0)

 Ever receipt ARVs

183 (97.9)

202 (99.5)

385 (98.7)

 ARVs before pregnancy

90 (48.1)

86 (42.4)

176 (45.1)

 ARVs currently (Single pink pill-FDC or TEE)

172 (94.0)

194 (96.5)

366 (95.3)

 Disclosed HIV status

173 (92.5)

184 (90.6)

357 (91.5)

 Husband/boyfriend/partner

28 (16.2)

26 (14.1)

54 (15.1)

 Family (Mother/Sister/Mother-in-law, Other)

137 (79.2)

141 (76.6)

278 (77.9)

 Other (Friend/Mentor-mother/CHW/Neighbor)

8 (4.6)

17 (9.2)

25 (7.0)

 Number of people disclosed to, mean (SD)

1.7 (0.8)

1.8 (0.9)

1.8 (0.8)

Paternal characteristics

 Child lives with father

108 (17.0)

98 (14.5)

206 (15.7)

 Father alcohol use

319 (51.9)

346 (54.7)

665 (53.3)

 Father tobacco use

188 (29.8)

197 (29.8)

385 (29.8)

 Father drug use

32 (5.2)

25 (3.9)

57 (4.5)

 Father living with HIV+

57 (30.5)

58 (28.6)

115 (29.5)

Breastfeeding

 Breastfeeding at baseline interview

601 (94.5)

644 (95.6)

1245 (95.0)

 Breastfeed within 1 h of birth

546 (85.8)

556 (82.5)

1102 (84.1)

Child outcomes at birth

 Birth in hospital *** b

591 (92.9)

649 (96.3)

1240 (94.7)

 LBW (less than 2500 g)

65 (10.5)

73 (11.2)

138 (10.9)

 WAZ, mean (SD)

−0.6 (1.1)

−0.6 (1.1)

−0.6 (1.1)

 Underweight (WAZ < −2 SD)

57 (9.2)

63 (9.7)

120 (9.5)

 HAZ, mean (SD)

0.2 (1.5)

0.2 (1.5)

0.2 (1.5)

 Stunted (HAZ < −2 SD)

41 (6.5)

48 (7.2)

89 (6.8)

 WHZ, mean (SD)

−1.8 (2.3)

−1.6 (2.2)

−1.7 (2.2)

 Wasting (WHZ < -2 SD)

220 (37.2)

213 (33.5)

433 (35.3)

 Apgar Score at 5 min, mean (SD)

10.0 (0.7)

9.9 (0.8)

10.0 (0.8)

 Apgar Score at 5 min (7 and above)

588 (99.5)

641 (98.8)

1229 (99.1)

  1. * p < 0.1; **p < 0.05; ***p < 0.01
  2. a Safe water includes rainwater tank, communal tap running water, communal tap hand pump, hospital tap, running water tap on land, and non-safe water consists of river and well; b Hospital/clinic or on the way to hospital vs. Home
  3. Abbreviations: EPDS Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). LBW Low birth weight (LBW); WAZ Weight-for-age z-score (WAZ). HAZ Length/height-for-age z-score (HAZ)