Table 4 Factors associated with Exclusive breastfeeding among under six months aged children in the Gambia, GDHS 2019-20(n = 897)

Age of infant

0–1 month

79(25.21)

236(74.79)

1

1

2–3 months

123(43.26)

161(56.74)

0.45(0.32,0.63)

0.41(0.28,0.59)

0.0001

4–5 months

213(71.76)

84(28.24)

0.13(0.08,0.18)

0.11(0 0.07,0.16)

0.0001

Birth order

First

95(50.28)

94(49.72)

1

1

2–3

153(48.77)

161(51.23)

1.03(0.73,1.45)

0.74(0.43,1.27)

0.272

= 4+

168(42.57)

226(57.43)

1.29(0.93,1.79)

0.91(0.48,1.72)

0.777

Marital status

Never in union

28(53.87)

24(46.13)

1

1

In union

387(45.90)

457(54.10)

1.41(0.82,2.44)

1.29(0.68,2.47)

0.392

Place of delivery

Home

34(33.37)

68(66.63)

1

1

Health facility

382(48.03)

413(51.97)

0.56(0.38,0.81)

0.64(0.36,1.15)

0.138

Place of residence

Urban

296(53.03)

262(46.97)

1

1

Rural

119(35.36)

219(64.64)

1.84(1.43,2.37)

2.14(1.33,3.41)

0.001

Region

Banjul

4(51.05)

3(48.95)

1

1

Kanifing

834(55.76)

66(44.24)

1.02(0.49,2.13)

1.34(0 0.58,3.08)

0.498

Brikama

172(51.55)

162(48.45)

1.21(0.60,2.41)

1.44(0.65,3.21)

0.369

Mansakonko

14(38.28)

23(61.72)

1.93(0.91,4.08)

1.65(0 0.65,4.19)

0.294

Kerewan

48(39.63)

74(60.37)

1.79(0.89,3.58)

1.62(0.68,3.87)

0.278

Kuntaur

23(42.93)

31(57.07)

1.68(0.83,3.40)

1.12(0.44,2.83)

0.808

Janjanbureh

21(31.71)

46(68.29)

2.39(1.18,4.85)

1.94(0.81,4.71)

0.141

Basse

49(39.18)

76(60.82)

1.69(0.86,3.33)

1.85(0.79,4.32)

0.156

Total children ever born

< 5

302(47.80)

329(52.20)

1

1

5–6

74(45.74)

87(54.26)

1.17(0.84,1.63)

0.97(0.58,1.64)

0.921

7–8

24(31.65)

51(68.35)

1.58(1.01,2.48)

1.22(0.65,2.29)

0.532

= 9+

17(56.50)

13(43.50)

0.77(0.41,1.45)

0.48(0.21,1.11)

0.087

Wealth status

Poorest

66(33.27)

132(66.73)

1

1

Poorer

103(51.97)

96(48.03)

0.62(0.44,0.87)

0.75(0.48,1.15)

0.186

Meddle

72(40.34)

106(59.66)

0.82(0.57,1.18)

1.31(0.75,2.28)

0.339

Richer

81(54.52)

67(45.48)

0.48(0.32,0.73)

0.90(0.47,1.74)

0.757

Richest

94(54.16)

79(45.84)

0.54(0.35,0.83)

1.03(0.49,2.15)

0.939

Number of under-five children

0–2

176(50.56)

172(49.44)

1

1

3–5

164(43.16)

216(56.84)

1.33(1.02,1.72)

1.25(0.79,1.95)

0.588

5+

75(44.89)

93(55.11)

2.17(0.42,11.37)

1.03(0.17,6.07)

0.833

Watching television

No

179(43.15)

271(56.25)

1

1

Yes

236(56.85)

210(43.75)

0.67(0.52,0.86)

0.78(0.55,1.10)

0.157

Reading to newspaper

No

413(46.78)

469(53.22)

1

1

Yes

3(20.61)

12(79.39)

2.68(0.74,9.68)

5.62(1.32,24.09)

0.020

Assistance TBAs

No

401(47.49)

443(52.51)

1

1

0.779

Yes

15(28.49)

38(71.51)

1.90(1.16,3.11)

1.11(0.52,2.37)

Births in the last five years

1

162(50.05)

162(49.95)

1

1

2–3

253(44.46)

316(55.54)

1.33(1.02,1.72)

1.25(0.79,1.95)

0.330

4–5

0.8(18.51)

3.3(81.49)

2.18(0.42,11.37)

1.03(0.17,6.06)

0.972

The health provider counseled on breastfeeding

No

215(47.34)

240(52.66)

1

1

Yes

200(45.36)

241(45.36)

1.20(0.94,1.55)

1.36(1.01,1.82)

0.044

The child had experienced a fever

No

338(81.32)

78(18.68)

1

1

Yes

433(90.06)

48(9.94)

0.52(0.37,0.72)

0.56(0.37,0.84)

0.005

The child had experienced diarrhea

No

327(78.65)

89(21.35)

1

1

Yes

422(87.68)

59(12.32)

0.58(0.41,0.81)

1.01(0.67,1.52)

0.954