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Table 1 Descriptive statistics of both initial and propensity score matched data for Malawi in 2012

From: Direct and indirect determinants of childhood malaria morbidity in Malawi: a survey cross-sectional analysis based on malaria indicator survey data for 2012

Independent variables

Unmatched data

Propensity score matched data

Variable

Category

Blood smear positive [n = 468 (24.7%)]

Blood smear negative [n = 1430 (74.9%)]

Test statistic (p-valuea)

Blood smear positive [n = 367 (27.7%)]

Blood smear negative [n = 958 (72.3%)]

Test statistic (p-value)

Region*

Northern

60 (9.3%)

266(15.4%)

χ2 = 3.64 (0.01)

47 (9.6%)

176 (15.4%)

χ2 = 3.27 (0.015)

Central

234 (53.3%)

525 (38.0%)

181 (51.4%)

348 (36.6%)

Southern

174 (37.4%)

639 (46.6%)

139 (39.0%)

434 (48.1%)

Type of place of residence

Urban

54 (5.0%)

468 (16.4%)

χ2 = 9.82 (<0.01)

48 (5.9%)

278 (14.3%)

χ2 = 5.96 (0.003)

Rural

414 (95.0%)

962 (83.6%)

319 (94.1%)

680 (85.7%)

Cluster altitude (km)

Mean ± SE

0.90 ± 0.03

0.89 ± 0.03

t = −0.49 (0.623)

0.90 ± 0.03

0.88 ± 0.03

t = −0.43 (0.667)

Position of child in household

1

254 (54.1%)

973 (68.0%)

χ2 = 11.17 (<0.01)

224 (59.8%)

723 (74.3%)

χ2 = 7.20 (<0.001)

2

153 (32.6%)

297 (20.2%)

135 (38.1%)

217 (24.0%)

3

61 (13.3%)

160 (11.8%)

8 (2.1%)

18 (1.7%)

Mother’s highest education level*

None

415 (88.9%)

949 (73.1%)

χ2 = 7.30 (< 0.01)

329 (89.6%)

700 (78.8%)

χ2 = 3.54 (0.012)

Primary

47 (9.9%)

361 (21.5%)

34 (9.3%)

221 (18.9%)

Secondary

6 (1.2%)

120 (5.4%)

4 (1.1%)

37 (2.3%)

Mother has heard of malaria

No

47 (10.5%)

62 (4.9%)

χ2 = 4.27 (0.02)

38 (11.0%)

50 (5.9%)

χ2 = 3.09 (0.048)

Yes

421 (89.5%)

1,368 (95.1%)

329 (89.0%)

908 (94.1%)

Child’s age in months*

Mean ± SE

34.79 ± 0.56

31.25 ± 0.40

t = −5.08 (<0.001)

34.7 ± 0.64

31.7 ± 0.52

t = −3.60 (<0.001)

Child’s altitude adjusted haemoglobin level

Mean ± SE

9.2 ± 0.96

10.4 ± 0.56

t = 11.90 (<0.01)

9.2 ± 0.91

10.3 ± 0.63

t = 10.7 (<0.001

Wealth index score*

Mean ± SE

−5.58 ± 0.25

−2.47 ± 0.32

t = 8.05 (< 0.01)

−5.68 ± 0.35

−3.56 ± 0.36

t = 6.41 (<0.001)

Children under 5 slept under mosquito bed net last night*

No

206 (41.3%)

488 (34.1%)

χ2 = 1.89 (0.15)

184 (47.4%)

481 (48.8%)

χ2 = 0.36 (0.691)

Yes

262 (58.7%)

942 (65.9%)

183 (52.6%)

477 (51.2%)

Time in hours to get to water source*

Mean ± SE

5.23 ± 0.52

6.63 ± 0.47

t = 2.71 (< 0.01)

5.05 ± 0.55

6.18 ± 0.49

t = 1.92 (0.057)

  1. SE standard error.
  2. * Variables that were used in propensity score matching.
  3. asignificance was calculated at 5%.