Table 1 Socio-demographic characteristics and history of malaria in malnourished and nourished under-five children in Shashogo, Southern Ethiopia, 2015

Age, in months

6–12^a

74 (20.8)

21 (28.4)

53 (71.6)

1 (0.603–1.654)

0.06

13–25

107 (30.1)

37 (34.6)

70 (65.4)

1.39 (0.936–2.07)

26–38

126 (35.4)

20 (15.9)

106 (84.1)

0.505 (0.316–0.806)

39–59

49 (13.7)

11 (22.5)

38 (77.5)

0.819 (0.427–1.57)

Sex

Male^a

160 (44.9)

45 (28.1)

115 (71.9)

1 (0.712–1.400)

0.17

Female

196 (55.1)

44 (22.4)

152 (77.6)

0.716 (0.514–1.00)

Family size

<4^a

49 (13.8)

12 (24.5)

37 (75.5)

1 (0.532–1.89)

0.35

4–6

136 (38.2)

28 (20.6)

108 (79.4)

0.751 (0.499–1.330)

>6

171 (48.0)

49 (28.7)

122 (71.3)

1.144 (0.823–1.593)

Family monthly income

<USD 15^a

188 (52.8)

61 (32.4)

127 (67.6)

1 (0.744–1.364)

0.0001*

USD 15–25

98 (27.5)

21 (21.4)

77 (78.6)

0.578 (0.360–0.93)

≥USD 25

70 (19.7)

7 (10.0)

63 (90.0)

0.222 (0.100–0.484)

Marital status of the caregiver

Married^a

333 (93.5)

78 (23.4)

255 (76.6)

1 (0.762–1.317)

0.763

Single

3 (0.8)

1 (33.3)

2 (66.7)

0.730 (0.421–1.265)

Divorced

6 (1.7)

2 (33.3)

4 (66.7)

5.464 (1.000–29.833)

Widowed

10 (2.8)

3 (30.0)

7 (70.0)

-------

Separated

4 (1.2)

2 (50.0)

2 (50.0)

2.732 (0.385–19.396)

Literacy/ educational status of the caregiver

Cannot read or write

249 (69.9)

70 (28.1)

179 (71.9)

1 (0.756–1.31)

0.066

Can read or

16 (4.5)

2 (33.3)

14 (66.7)

0.349 (0.078–1.534)

Primary (1–8)

84 (23.6)

16 (19.0)

68 (81.0)

0.620 (0.363–1.054)

Secondary and above

7 (2.0)

1 (14.3)

6 (85.7)

0.407 (0.049-3.376)

Occupation of the caregiver

Housewife^a

262 (73.6)

73 (27.7)

189 (72.1)

1 (0.756–0.293)

0.085

Farmer

82 (23.0)

16 (19.5)

66 (80.5)

0.659 (0.381–1.11)

Student

9 (2.5)

0 (0)

9 (100.0)

-----

Pprivate worker

3 (0.9)

0 (0)

3 (100.0)

------

Religion of the caregiver

Christian^a

220 (61.8)

49 (22.3)

171 (77.7)

1 (0.732–1.368)

0.107

Muslim

132 (37.1)

38 (28.8)

94 (71.2)

1.391 (0.957–2.02)

Other

4 (1.1)

2 (50.0)

2 (50.0)

3.311 (0.467–23.507)

Previous malaria status

Negative^a

254 (71.4)

52 (20.5)

202 (79.5)

1.00 (0.742–1.346)

0.016*

Positive

102 (28.6)

37 (36.3)

65 (63.7)

1.96 (1.304–2.940)

Type of Plasmodium species

P. falciparum ^a

36 (35.3)

10 (27.8)

26 (72.2)

1.00 (0.481–2.073)

0.22

P. vivax

66 (64.7)

27 (40.9)

39 (59.1)

1.73 (1.055–2.844)

Elapsed time since last malaria onset

2–5 months^a

63 (61.8)

22 (34.9)

41 (65.1)

1.00 (0.596–1.678)

0.67

6–12 months

39 (38.2)

14 (35.9)

25 (64.1)

0.97 (0.484–1.953)