Table 2 Prevalence of iron supplementation adherence among married pregnant women by explanatory variables. Evidence from 25 SSA countries DHSs

Overall prevalence

120,131 (51.7%)

Decision making

χ2 = 55.89, P < 0.001

 No

127,476 (34.59)

56.04

43.96

 Yes

90,356 (65.41)

44.14

55.86

Age in years

χ2 = 54.03, P < 0.001

 15–19

15,381 (7.86)

56.62

43.38

 20–24

40,182 (19.88)

55.31

44.69

 25–29

49,269 (21.60)

47.89

52.11

 30–34

42,258 (16.88)

43.70

56.3

 35–39

35,798 (14.56)

44.99

55.01

 40–44

25,700 (11.73)

39.05

60.95

 45–49

19,483 (7.51)

42.25

57.75

Women’s educational status

χ2 = 98.12, P < 0.001

 No formal education

99,491 (27.46)

60.40

39.60

 Primary school

75,431 (38.90)

50.23

49.77

 Secondary school

45,666 (29.65)

41.07

58.93

 Higher

7473 (3.98)

34.62

65.38

Husband’s educational status

χ2 = 66.06, P < 0.001

 No formal education

86,384 (21.13)

53.76

46.24

 Primary school

57,989 (26.62)

54.87

45.13

 Secondary school

57,884 (44.91)

46.05

53.95

 Higher

14,720 (7.34)

32.97

67.03

Women occupation

χ2 = 96.77, P < 0.001

 Not working

58,510 (25.30)

12.79

14.88

 Professional/technical/managerial

7840 (5.41)

1.92

3.28

 Agricultural

79,991 (29.67)

13.86

8.64

 Manual

15,708 (3.39)

1.65

1.91

 Others

55,827 (36.23)

18.08

23.00

Wealth index

χ2 = 221.49, P < 0.001

 Poorest

51,782 (17.92)

6.53

4.66

 Poorer

47,375 (20.66)

12.18

6.43

 Middle

45,144 (20.72)

12.11

11.67

 Richer

42,578 (20.59)

9.99

14.19

 Richest

41,192 (20.11)

7.48

14.75

Reading newspaper

χ2 = 48.72, P < 0.001

 No

196,334 (81.04)

51.09

48.91

 Yes

32,163 (18.96)

38.27

61.73

Listening radio

χ2 = 32.37, P < 0.001

 No

98,580 (45.55)

53.51

46.49

 Yes

129,986 (54.45)

44.73

55.27

Watching television

χ2 = 88.02, P < 0.001

 No

146,839 (38.71)

59.00

41.00

 Yes

81,567 (61.29)

43.57

56.43

Parity

χ2 = 12.86, P = 0.0769

 1–2

69,399 (30.72)

52.15

47.85

 3–4

63,805 (30.02)

45.96

54.04

 5+

79,947 (39.26)

46.81

53.19

Place of residence

χ2 = 106.61, P < 0.001

 Urban

72,778 (64.71)

43.66

56.34

 Rural

155,293 (35.29)

61.51

38.49

Religion

χ2 = 24.20, P < 0.001

 Christian

133,400 (93.53)

47.41

52.59

 Muslim

84,097 (0.36)

76.65

23.35

 Others

10,987 (6.11)

63.01

36.99

Number of ANC visit

χ2 = 262.36, P < 0.001

 < 4

65,290 (24.89)

70.06

29.94

 > = 4

79,314 (75.11)

40.77

59.23