Table 2 Summary of pooled sample characteristics of the Demographic and Health Surveys data in sub-Saharan Africa

441,098

272,705

167,547

Age (%)

 15–24

174,203 (39.6)

127,692 (46.8)

46,510 (27.8)

 25–34

140,294 (31.9)

73,701 (27.0)

66,592 (39.7)

 35–49

125,759 (28.6)

71,312 (26.1)

54,445 (32.5)

No of children (mean (sd))

2.87 (2.75)

2.65 (2.89)

3.23 (2.46)

Wealth (%)

 Poorest

87,727 (19.9)

63,640 (23.3)

23,908 (14.3)

 Poorer

82,941 (18.8)

54,940 (20.1)

27,839 (16.6)

 Middle

83,487 (18.9)

52,480 (19.2)

30,861 (18.4)

 Richer

87,309 (19.8)

50,005 (18.3)

37,112 (22.2)

 Richest

99,634 (22.6)

51,640 (18.9)

47,827 (28.5)

Partner’s education (%)

 No education

107,685 (36.6)

85,067 (49.9)

22,419 (18.2)

 Primary

80,264 (27.3)

39,234 (23.0)

40,815 (33.2)

 Secondary+

106,313 (36.1)

46,298 (27.1)

59,774 (48.6)

Labour force participation (yes, %)

243,911 (55.3)

140,671 (51.6)

102,918 (61.4)

Acceptance of wife beating (%)

 Low

249,706 (56.6)

147,288 (54.0)

101,795 (60.8)

 Medium

68,756 (15.6)

45,831 (16.8)

22,924 (13.7)

 High

122,636 (27.8)

79,586 (29.2)

42,828 (25.6)

Women’s knowledge level (%)

 Low

197,536 (44.8)

135,993 (49.9)

61,043 (36.4)

 Medium

131,254 (29.8)

76,920 (28.2)

53,989 (32.2)

 High

112,308 (25.5)

59,792 (21.9)

52,515 (31.3)

Decision making power

 Low

47,485 (37.3)

27,943 (40.8)

19,485 (33.3)

 Medium

56,469 (44.4)

26,870 (39.3)

29,515 (50.4)

 High

23,210 (18.3)

13,642 (19.9)

9568 (16.3)

Neighbourhood SES (%)

 Tertile 1 (least disadvantaged)

148,852 (33.7)

78,012 (28.6)

70,635 (42.2)

 Tertile 2

145,590 (33.0)

88,626 (32.5)

56,680 (33.8)

 Tertile 3 (most disadvantaged)

146,656 (33.2)

106,067 (38.9)

40,232 (24.0)

Human Development Index (%)

 Low HDI

159,306 (36.1)

119,123 (43.7)

40,183 (24.0)

 Moderate HDI

162,673 (36.9)

94,496 (34.7)

68,173 (40.7)

 High HDI

119,119 (27.0)

59,086 (21.7)

59,191 (35.3)