Table 2 Basic characteristics of women surveyed in DHS-II, DHS-III, DHS-IV and DHS-V, Benin

Total

3415

100.00

10,356

100.00

8943

100.00

8843

100.00

Age

 < 0.001

15–19

181

5.30

497

4.80

371

4.15

474

5.37

20–29

1695

49.63

5071

48.97

4298

48.06

4363

49.34

30–39

1177

34.46

3802

36.71

3471

38.81

3151

35.64

40–49

362

10.61

985

9.52

803

8.98

854

9.65

Education level

 < 0.001

Uninstructed

2478

72.57

7589

73.28

6304

70.49

5704

64.50

Primary

662

19.39

1897

18.32

1496

16.73

1612

18.23

Secondary and above

275

8.04

870

8.40

1143

12.79

1526

17.26

Marital status

 < 0.001

Single

153

4.48

452

4.36

615

6.88

654

7.40

In couple/dating

3262

95.52

9904

95.64

8328

93.12

8188

92.60

Religion

 < 0.001

Traditional and others

699

20.47

2110

20.38

1369

15.31

942

10.65

Islam

813

23.79

2453

23.68

2134

23.86

2951

33.37

Christianism

1608

47.08

5175

49.97

4977

55.65

4454

50.37

No religion

296

8.66

618

5.96

464

5.18

496

5.61

Occupation

 < 0.001

No

301

8.83

1339

12.93

2486

27.80

1482

16.76

Yes

3112

91.17

9015

87.07

6457

72.20

7361

83.24

Exposure to newspapers

 < 0.001

Not at all

3168

93.06

9738

94.66

8183

91.50

8334

94.24

Less than once a week

142

4.18

376

3.65

346

3.87

302

3.42

At least once a week

94

2.76

173

1.69

414

4.63

207

2.34

Exposure to radio

 < 0.001

Not at all

621

18.20

1967

19.03

3431

38.37

3914

44.27

Less than once a week

638

18.69

2637

25.51

1778

19.88

1874

21.19

At least once a week

2154

63.11

5731

55.46

3734

41.76

3055

34.55

Exposure to TV

 < 0.001

Not at all

2618

76.69

7195

69.88

5076

56.76

5787

65.45

Less than once a week

279

8.19

1115

10.83

1216

13.59

1447

16.36

At least once a week

517

15.13

1986

19.29

2651

29.64

1609

18.19

Health insurance

0.008

No

8816

98.58

8766

99.13

Yes

127

1.42

77

0.87

Parity

 < 0.001

1

681

19.95

1791

17.30

1676

18.75

1686

19.07

2

577

16.90

1853

17.90

1716

19.19

1599

18.08

3

472

13.81

1669

16.11

1660

18.56

1464

16.55

4 and more

1685

49.34

5043

48.69

3890

43.50

4094

46.30

Type of pregnancy

0.405

Simple

3317

97.12

10,036

96.91

8706

97.35

8591

97.15

Twins

98

2.88

320

3.09

237

2.65

252

2.85

Antenatal consultations

0.002

No

2317

67.83

6547

63.22

5528

61.81

5474

61.90

Yes

1099

32.17

3808

36.78

3415

38.19

3369

38.10

Sex of household head

 < 0.001

Male

2989

87.53

8958

86.50

7743

86.58

7385

83.52

Female

426

12.47

1398

13.50

1201

13.42

1458

16.48

Variables

DHS-II

DHS-III

DHS-IV

DHS-V

p

n

%

n

%

n

%

n

%

Household size

 < 0.001

1–5

1361

39.84

4706

45.44

4011

44.85

3536

39.98

6 + 

2054

60.16

5650

54.56

4932

55.15

5307

60.02

Wealth level

0.778

Poorest

2183

21.08

1803

20.17

1784

20.18

Poorer

2059

19.88

1794

20.06

1784

20.17

Middle

2140

20.66

1779

19.90

1801

20.36

Richer

2135

20.62

1790

20.02

1819

20.57

Richest

1839

17.76

1776

19.86

1655

18.72

Area

0.045

Urban

1127

33.01

3675

35.49

3651

40.82

3460

39.12

Rural

2288

66.99

6680

64.51

5292

59.18

5383

60.88

Department

 < 0.001

Alibori

930

8.98

597

6.67

1204

13.61

Atacora

471

13.80

738

7.13

836

9.35

769

8.69

Atlantique

673

19.70

1151

11.12

1089

12.18

1013

11.45

Borgou

605

17.71

1011

9.76

685

7.66

1137

12.85

Collines

744

7.18

582

6.51

592

6.69

Couffo

851

8.22

649

7.26

579

6.54

Donga

426

4.11

384

4.30

592

6.69

Littoral

759

7.33

1059

11.85

399

4.51

Mono

402

11.76

628

6.06

486

5.43

390

4.41

Ouémé

558

16.35

1410

13.61

1136

12.70

795

8.99

Plateau

539

5.20

621

6.94

537

6.07

Zou

706

20.67

1169

11.29

818

9.15

838

9.48