Impact of access to improved water and sanitation on diarrhea reduction among rural under-five children in low and middle-income countries: a propensity score matched analysis

Table 1 Background characteristics of respondents in LMICs

Variable	Frequency	Percent
Age of mother
15–24	85,222	30.6
25–34	152,152	54.7
35–49	40,737	14.7
Age of child in months
0–11	113,582	40.8
12–36	108,934	39.2
37–59	55,595	20.0
Maternal education
Not educated	84,790	30.5
Primary	56,472	20.3
Secondary	114,499	41.2
Higher	22,350	8.0
Wealth status
Poorest	90,728	32.6
Poorer	75,538	27.2
Middle	57,293	20.6
Richer	37,220	13.4
Richest	17,332	6.2
Handwashing facility
No	108,772	45.3
Yes	131,501	54.7
Treating water
No	182,430	65.6
Yes	95,643	34.4
Frequency of watching television
Not at all	134,083	48.2
Less than once a week	52,174	18.8
At least once a week	91,313	32.8
Almost every day	522	0.2
Frequency of listening to radio
Not at all	214,067	77.0
Less than once a week	34,422	12.4
At least once a week	27,667	9.9
Almost every day	1,931	0.7
Frequency of reading newspaper/magazine
Not at all	226,062	81.3
Less than once a week	35,507	12.8
At least once a week	16,383	5.9
Almost every day	139	0.05
Parity
Primiparous	58,991	21.2
Multiparous	188,882	67.9
Grand multiparous	30,238	10.9
Family size
< 5	115,585	41.6
≥ 5	162,526	58.4
Source of drinking water
Unimproved	94,875	34.1
Improved	183,236	65.9
Type of toilet
Unimproved	119,416	42.9
Improved	158,695	57.1
Birth weight
Low	66,607	24.1
Normal	209,385	75.9
Stunting
No	164,571	63.5
Yes	94,577	36.5
Underweight
No	218,016	85.2
Yes	38,004	14.8
Wasting
No	189,996	71.9
Yes	74,200	28.1
Number of under-five children in household
< 2	222,941	80.2
> 2	55,170	19.8
Breast feeding
Still breastfeed	170,529	71.3
Ever breastfed	54,340	22.7
Never breastfed	14,291	6.0

ISSN: 1349-4147