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Table 1 Variables used in the study

From: Uptake of intermittent preventive treatment for malaria during pregnancy with Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) among postpartum women in Zomba District, Malawi: a cross-sectional study

Variable Definition Measurement scale
IPTp-SP uptake (Primary outcome) Two or less (≤2) doses is incomplete and three or more (3+) is optimal Nominal/binary
Explanatory variable
Age group Age of a woman Nominal
Marital status Marital status of a woman Nominal
Residence (Zone) Type of woman’s residence Nominal/binary
Education Level of education of woman Nominal
Occupation Woman’s occupation Nominal
Religion Woman’s religion Nominal
Tribe Woman’s tribe Nominal
First pregnancy Woman’s first pregnancy Nominal/binary
Parity Number of birth that a woman had after 20 weeks gestation Nominal
Timing of 1st ANC visit Age of the pregnancy a first time a woman visited antenatal care clinic (ANC) Nominal
ANC visits Number of antenatal care visits a pregnant woman made during her gestation period Nominal
Gravida Total number of confirmed pregnancies that a woman had regardless of the outcome Nominal
Knowledge of malaria transmission Three items (sugarcane, mosquito, witchcraft). If only mosquito is selected as the an agent of transmission, then the person is knowledgeable, otherwise inadequate knowledge Nominal/binary
Knowledge of dangers of malaria in pregnancy Three items (abortion, still birth, low birth weight) indicated knowledgeable of consequences of malaria in pregnancy. Otherwise, inadequate knowledge Nominal/binary
Took SP under DOT each time Whether a woman took SP under direct observation therapy (DOT) strategy or not Nominal/binary
Permission to go to HF Seeking permission from spouse to visit health facility (HF) for ANC Nominal/binary
Distance to HF Distance to health facility from a woman’s residence Nominal/binary
Transport to HF Transportation to heath facility Nominal/binary
Need for spouse escort to HF Spouse escort to health facility Nominal/binary
Worried no health provider at HF Worried that there would be no health care provider Nominal/binary
Worried no drugs at HF Worried that there might be no drugs at clinic Nominal/binary
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BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

ISSN: 1471-2393

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