Table 1

RR for association between potential explanatory variables and the outcomes of infant diarrhoea, acute respiratory illness and fever in the first 2 months of life

N (%)Diarrhoea RR (95% CI)ARI RR (95% CI)Fever RR (95% CI)
Maternal characteristics
 Age (years), mean (SD)26.9 (6.3)1.02 (1.00 to 1.04)0.99 (0.98 to 1.01)1.00 (0.99 to 1.01)
 Parity
  Primiparous138 (14.5)ReferenceReferenceReference
  2–4 Births423 (44.3)1.42 (0.96 to 2.10)1.06 (0.77 to 1.47)0.69 (0.54 to 0.87)
  5 Or more births393 (41.2)1.60 (1.09 to 2.36)0.89 (0.64 to 1.25)0.83 (0.66 to 1.05)
 Level of autonomy (n=947)
  Always asks613 (64.7)ReferenceReferenceReference
  Sometimes ask189 (20.0)1.23 (0.95 to 1.58)1.09 (0.83 to 1.42)0.85 (0.67 to 1.08)
  Doesn't have to ask145 (15.3)0.87 (0.62 to 1.21)0.82 (0.58 to 1.16)0.92 (0.72 to 1.19)
No formal education
 Mother763 (80.0)1.30 (0.97 to 1.76)1.10 (0.83 to 1.47)1.25 (0.98 to 1.58)
 Husband (n=947)349 (36.9)1.15 (0.92 to 1.42)1.19 (0.95 to 1.48)1.11 (0.93 to 1.32)
Socio-economic status
 Lower wealth (n=952)539 (56.6)1.23 (0.99 to 1.54)1.17 (0.94 to 1.47)1.25 (1.05 to 1.50)
 Hungry in last month (lack of money)99 (10.4)1.61 (1.23 to 2.11)1.59 (1.20 to 2.11)1.34 (1.06 to 1.70)
 Indebted77 (8.1)1.69 (1.26 to 2.25)1.52 (1.10 to 2.09)1.37 (1.06 to 1.77)
 No emergency resources (n=952)595 (62.5)0.98 (0.79 to 1.23)0.87 (0.69 to 1.08)1.06 (0.88 to 1.27)
Environment
 Urban kebele135 (14.2)0.87 (0.62 to 1.20)0.71 (0.49 to 1.03)0.75 (0.56 to 1.01)
Other children <5 years
 None196 (20.6)ReferenceReferenceReference
 1 Child <5 years485 (50.8)1.61 (1.16 to 2.22)1.17 (0.87 to 1.56)0.77 (0.63 to 0.96)
 2 Or more children273 (28.6)1.38 (0.96 to 1.97)0.92 (0.66 to 1.29)0.88 (0.70 to 1.10)
Unprotected water supply (n=952)287 (30.2)0.97 (0.77 to 1.23)0.93 (0.73 to 1.18)0.96 (0.80 to 1.16)
No latrine354 (37.1)1.16 (0.94 to 1.45)1.15 (0.92 to 1.43)0.97 (0.81 to 1.16)
Rubbish disposed on fields (n=953)742 (77.9)1.02 (0.79 to 1.33)1.07 (0.81 to 1.40)1.00 (0.81 to 1.23)
Animals in house (n=953)598 (62.8)1.37 (1.08 to 1.74)1.15 (0.92 to 1.43)1.18 (0.98 to 1.42)
No window (n=953)593 (62.2)1.19 (0.94 to 1.49)1.18 (0.93 to 1.49)1.09 (0.91 to 1.30)
Maternal ill-health
 Fever since birth240 (25.2)1.58 (1.27 to 1.96)1.51 (1.20 to 1.89)1.60 (1.35 to 1.89)
 Malaria since birth (n=949)125 (13.2)1.39 (1.06 to 1.82)1.45 (1.11 to 1.91)1.33 (1.07 to 1.65)
 Diarrhoea since birth55 (5.8)1.67 (1.20 to 2.33)1.34 (0.90 to 1.99)1.49 (1.13 to 1.96)
 BMI (kg/m2) (n=765)146 (19.1)0.95 (0.90 to 1.00)0.78 (0.55 to 1.11)0.98 (0.76 to 1.26)
Maternal substance use
 Alcohol use (≥weekly)17 (1.8)1.37 (0.71 to 2.63)0.47 (0.13 to 1.73)0.67 (0.28 to 1.58)
 Khat use (≥weekly)95 (10.0)1.06 (0.75 to 1.50)1.06 (0.74 to 1.52)0.92 (0.68 to 1.25)
Infant characteristics
 Birth weight
  Normal468 (49.1)ReferenceReferenceReference
  Low (<2500 g)35 (3.7)0.96 (0.54 to 1.72)0.96 (0.54 to 1.72)1.28 (0.88 to 1.88)
  Not measured451 (47.3)1.05 (0.84 to 1.30)0.86 (0.69 to 1.08)0.94 (0.79 to 1.13)
 Female infant469 (49.2)0.97 (0.78 to 1.20)0.82 (0.65 to 1.02)0.86 (0.72 to 1.02)
Lack of social support
 Low frequency of contact with friends144 (15.1)1.15 (0.87 to 1.52)1.07 (0.79 to 1.44)1.13 (0.90 to 1.42)
 Can't rely on family189 (19.8)1.02 (0.78 to 1.33)1.00 (0.76 to 1.31)1.05 (0.85 to 1.30)
 Not enough help at home (n=953)366 (38.4)0.84 (0.67 to 1.05)0.94 (0.75 to 1.18)0.82 (0.68 to 0.98)
 Not enough help with children426 (44.7)0.87 (0.70 to 1.08)0.91 (0.73 to 1.14)0.87 (0.73 to 1.04)
 Not enough help from husband (n=943)93 (9.9)1.18 (0.85 to 1.64)1.04 (0.73 to 1.50)1.16 (0.89 to 1.51)
Potential mediators
 Breast feeding delayed ≥8 h (n=939)65 (6.9)1.41 (0.99 to 1.99)1.05 (0.69 to 1.60)1.50 (1.16 to 1.94)
 Non-exclusive breast feeding152 (15.9)0.93 (0.68 to 1.25)0.97 (0.72 to 1.32)1.08 (0.86 to 1.36)
 Soap use <daily401 (42.0)1.40 (1.13 to 1.73)1.15 (0.92 to 1.43)1.19 (1.00 to 1.41)
 No vaccinations (n=951)221 (23.2)1.12 (0.88 to 1.43)1.16 (0.91 to 1.49)1.18 (0.97 to 1.42)
 Maternal functioning impaired ≥15 days75 (7.9)1.20 (0.84 to 1.71)1.50 (1.08 to 2.07)1.20 (0.90 to 1.59)
  • n=954 singleton mother–infant pairs.

  • ARI, acute respiratory illness; BMI, body mass index.