Table 3 Bivariable analysis of caesarean deliveries among women in sub-Saharan Africa segregated by place of residence

Sex of child

0.005

 < 0.001

 Male

56,724 (50.9)

96.6

3.4

24,782 (50.5)

90.2

9.8

 Female

54,726 (49.1)

96.9

3.1

24,270 (49.5)

91.5

8.5

Mother’s self-reported size of child at birth

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 Large

39,275 (35.2)

96.1

3.9

18,854 (38.5)

89.9

10.1

 Average

54,056 (48.5)

97.2

2.8

23,312 (47.5)

92.1

7.9

 Smaller

18,119 (16.3)

96.6

3.4

6886 (14.0)

89.0

11.0

Twin status

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 Single birth

109,197 (98.0)

96.8

3.2

47,936 (97.7)

91.1

8.9

 Multiple birth

2253 (2.0)

91.0

9.0

1116 (2.3)

78.9

21.1

Mother’s age (years)

0.348

 < 0.001

 15–19

7087 (6.4)

96.8

3.2

2118 (4.3)

94.7

5.3

 20–24

24,306 (21.8)

96.5

3.5

9475 (19.3)

93.8

6.2

 25–29

28,364 (25.5)

96.7

3.3

14,085 (28.7)

91.1

8.9

 30–34

22,715 (20.4)

96.8

3.2

11,409 (23.2)

89.9

10.1

 35–39

16,965 (15.2)

96.7

3.3

7827 (16.0)

87.7

12.3

 40–44

8852 (7.9)

97.0

3.0

3266 (6.7)

89.6

10.4

 45–49

3161 (2.8)

97.3

2.7

872 (1.8)

88.7

11.3

Maternal educational level

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 No education

55,710 (50.0)

98.1

1.9

11,484 (23.4)

94.8

5.2

 Primary

37,289 (33.5)

96.2

3.8

11,784 (24.0)

92.7

7.3

 Secondary

17,181 (15.4)

94.2

5.8

21,063 (43.0)

90.5

9.5

 Higher

1270 (1.1)

85.7

14.3

4721 (9.6)

78.1

21.9

Current working status

0.049

 < 0.001

 No

36,844 (33.1)

96.9

3.1

17,790 (36.3)

91.7

8.3

 Yes

74,606 (66.9)

96.6

3.4

31,262 (63.7)

90.3

9.7

Antenatal care attendance

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 None

15,135 (13.6)

99.4

0.6

2052 (4.2)

97.6

2.4

 1–3

41,502 (37.2)

97.3

2.7

11,599 (23.6)

93.9

6.1

 4 or more

54,813 (49.2)

95.5

4.5

35,401 (72.2)

89.4

10.6

Marital status

 < 0.001

0.013

 Married

94,604 (87.9)

96.9

3.1

37,035 (75.5)

90.6

9.4

 Cohabiting

16,846 (15.1)

95.8

4.2

12,017 (24.5)

91.7

8.3

Religion

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 No religion/others

3154 (2.8)

97.6

2.4

958 (1.9)

90.6

9.4

 Christianity

62,105 (55.7)

95.7

4.3

29,917 (61.0)

89.2

10.8

 Islamic

43,351 (38.9)

98.1

1.9

17,841 (36.4)

93.5

6.5

 African Traditional

2840 (2.6)

97.6

2.4

335 (0.7)

94.0

6.0

National health insurance subscription

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 No

106,265 (95.3)

97.0

3.0

43,985 (89.7)

92.0

8.0

 Yes

5185 (4.7)

91.7

8.3

5067 (10.3)

81.1

18.9

Parity

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 1 birth

17,146 (15.4)

94.6

5.4

9888 (20.2)

87.3

12.7

 2 births

18,743 (16.8)

96.0

4.0

11,037 (22.5)

89.8

10.2

 3 births

17,528 (15.7)

96.5

3.5

9272 (18.9)

91.0

9.0

 Four or more births

58,033 (52.1)

97.7

2.3

18,856 (38.4)

93.2

6.8

Partner educational level

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 No education

47,759 (42.8)

98.2

1.8

9650 (19.7)

95.3

4.7

 Primary

33,889 (30.4)

96.5

3.5

8445 (17.2)

92.3

7.7

 Secondary

26,015 (23.3)

95.2

4.8

22,435 (45.7)

90.9

9.1

 Higher

3788 (3.4)

91.0

9.0

8522 (17.4)

84.2

15.8

Person who usually decides on respondent’s health care

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 Respondent alone

15,587 (14.0)

95.6

4.4

8854 (18.1)

89.2

10.8

 Respondent and partner

40,273 (36.1)

96.1

3.9

18,900 (38.5)

89.4

10.6

 Partner alone

54,782 (49.2)

97.5

2.5

21,037 (42.9)

92.8

7.2

 Someone else or other

808 (0.7)

96.7

3.3

262 (0.5)

93.7

6.3

Person who usually decides on large household purchases

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 Respondent alone

11,481 (10.3)

96.3

3.7

7480 (15.2)

89.4

10.6

 Respondent and partner

42,660 (38.3)

95.9

4.1

20,925 (42.7)

89.6

10.4

 Partner alone

56,132 (50.4)

97.5

2.5

20,051 (40.9)

92.5

7.5

 Someone else or other

1177 (1.1)

96.6

3.4

596 (1.2)

95.7

4.3

Person who usually decides on visits to family or relatives

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 Respondent alone

19,536 (17.5)

96.8

3.2

10,739 (21.9)

90.0

10.0

 Respondent and partner

47,848 (42.9)

96.1

3.9

22,404 (45.7)

89.8

10.2

 Partner alone

43,137 (38.7)

97.5

2.5

15,572 (31.7)

92.8

7.2

 Someone else or other

929 (0.8)

95.7

4.3

337 (0.7)

95.7

4.3

Sex of household head

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 Male

96,892 (86.9)

96.9

3.1

41,572 (84.8)

91.1

8.9

 Female

14,558 (13.1)

95.7

4.3

7480 (15.2)

89.4

10.6

Frequency of watching television

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 Not at all

87,263 (78.3)

97.2

2.8

14,357 (29.3)

94.2

5.8

 Less than once a week

11,554 (10.4)

96.2

3.8

7066 (14.4)

91.1

8.9

 At least once a week

12,633 (11.3)

94.0

6.0

27,629 (56.3)

89.0

11.0

Frequency of listening radio

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 Not at all

56,268 (50.5)

97.5

2.5

16,132 (32.9)

92.9

7.1

 Less than once a week

20,216 (18.1)

96.6

3.4

10,510 (21.4)

90.5

9.5

 At least once a week

34,966 (31.4)

95.6

4.4

22,410 (45.7)

89.5

10.5

Frequency of reading newspaper/magazine

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 Not at all

102,913 (92.3)

97.0

3.0

36,633 (74.7)

92.6

7.4

 Less than once a week

5627 (5.1)

94.0

6.0

6294 (12.8)

86.9

13.1

 At least once a week

2910 (2.6)

91.0

9.0

6125 (12.5)

84.5

15.5

Wealth index

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 Poorest

33,991 (30.5)

98.1

1.9

1915 (3.9)

97.1

2.9

 Poorer

31,730 (28.5)

97.4

2.6

3524 (7.2)

95.9

4.1

 Middle

24,982 (22.4)

96.4

3.6

7575 (15.5)

95.0

5.0

 Richer

15,568 (14.0)

94.9

5.1

14,728 (30.0)

92.8

7.2

 Richest

5179 (4.6)

90.3

9.7

21,310 (43.4)

86.6

13.4