Table 2 Socio-demographic characteristics of the mothers/caregivers and the children in a study of severe malnutrition and associated factors among under-five children in Ethiopia

Socio-demographic characteristics

Age of women (years)

15–24

1,146

22.89

11.98

25–34

2,707

54.07

15.99

36–49

1,154

23.05

15.20

Sex of household head

Male

4,356

87

14.86

Female

651

13

15.11

Educational attainment of women

No education

2,690

53.72

19.65

Primary education

1,767

35.3

11.05

Secondary&above

549

10.97

3.93

Marital status of the mother

Married

4,718

94.25

14.92

Not married

288

5.75

16.33

Wealth index

Poorest

1,160

23.17

21.45

Poorer

1,104

22.05

16.85

Middle

938

18.74

15.41

Richer

883

17.63

12.74

Richest

922

18.41

5.82

Water source

Improved

3,057

61.06

14.36

Unimproved

1,950

38.94

15.71

Child related characteristics and health service utilization of the mothers

Birth order

 <  = 3^rd

2,686

53.65

12.39

 > 3^rd

2,320

46.35

17.78

Sex of child

Male

2,544

50.81

17.85

Female

2,463

49.19

11.83

Age of child

0–5

531

10.6

7.7

6–23

1,480

29.56

11.65

24–59

2,995

59.83

17.76

Plurality of birth

Single

4,897

97.82

14.75

Multiple

109

2.18

21.25

Number of under 5 children

One

1,973

39.41

12.22

Two

2,332

46.58

16.07

Three and more

701

14.01

18.46

Place of delivery

Home

2,606

52.06

18.03

Health institution

2,400

47.94

11.48

ANC visit

No ANC visit

900

24.81

16.14

At least one visit

2,728

75.19

12.91

Community level variables

Residence

Urban

1,254

25.04

7.82

Rural

3,753

74.96

17.25

Regions

Tigray

352

7.03

17.06

Afar

75

1.51

25.81

Amhara

961

19.2

15.88

Oromia

1,994

39.83

13.30

Somali

345

6.9

20.01

B/Gumuz

61

1.21

21.92

SNNPE

1,018

20.33

15.10

Gambela

22

0.43

6.99

Harari

14

0.29

15.24

Addis Ababa

138

2.76

4.58

Dire Dawa

26

0.52

7.81

Community-women education

Low

2,243

44.8

21.01

high

2,764

55.2

9.93