Prevalence of Malnutrition and Associated Factors among Under-Five Children in Pastoral Communities of Afar Regional State, Northeast Ethiopia: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Table 1

Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of respondents in Dubti district, Afar Regional State, Northeast Ethiopia, May, 2017 (n = 840).

Characteristics	Categories	Frequency (n)	Percent (%)
Mother’s age (in years)	15–19	76	9.0
	20–24	226	26.9
	25–29	340	40.5
	30–34	110	13.1
	35–39	47	5.6
	≥40	41	4.9
Mother’s marital status	Currently married	758	90.2
	Divorced	30	3.5
	Widowed	35	4.1
	Others	19	2.2
Mother’s ethnicity	Afar	806	96.0
	Others	34	4.0
Mother’s religion	Muslim	804	95.7
	Others	36	4.2
Mother’s education	Illiterate	726	86.3
	Primary (grade 1–8)	71	8.5
	Secondary (grade 9–12)	29	3.5
	Above secondary (grade 12^+)	14	1.7
Mother’s occupation	Housewife	678	80.7
	Herding livestock	92	10.9
	Government employee	38	4.5
	Others	32	3.9
Head of household	Father	624	74.3
	Mother	216	25.7
Total family size	<5	249	29.6
	≥5	591	70.4
Number of under-five children	1	326	38.8
	2	424	50.5
	≥3	90	10.7
Family monthly income (ETB)	<500	665	79.2
	500–1000	103	12.3
	>1000	72	8.5
Household food security	Secured	267	31.8
	Not secured	573	68.2
Ownership of livestock	Yes	724	86.2
	No	116	13.8

Others include Amhara, Tigray, Oromo; Orthodox, Protestant. ETB = Ethiopian birr.