Table 1 Sample characteristics, reproductive autonomy subscales, and contraceptive use by demographic characteristic
From: Assessing the relationship between reproductive autonomy and contraceptive use in rural Malawi
| Â | N (%) | Mean freedom from coercion | p-value | Mean communication | p-value | % using contraceptive method (%) | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full sample | 695 (100%) | 16.8 | Â | 17.7 | Â | 91 | Â |
Living children | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 No children | 26 (3.8%) | 15.5 | Ref. | 16.3 | Ref. | 65 | Ref. |
 1 child | 137 (19.8%) | 17.1 | < 0.01 | 17.6 | 0.02 | 92 | 0.003 |
 2 children | 146 (21.1%) | 17.0 | 0.01 | 17.8 |  < 0.01 | 90 | 0.001 |
 3 children | 150 (21.6%) | 16.6 | 0.09 | 17.7 | 0.04 | 92 | 0.001 |
 4 + children | 234 (33.8%) | 16.8 | 0.01 | 17.8 | 0.01 | 94 | 0.003 |
Age (n = 529) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
 < 20 | 27 (4.1%) | 16.7 | Ref. | 17.3 | Ref. | 85 | Ref. |
 20–24 | 145 (22.1%) | 17.0 | 0.67 | 17.7 | 0.48 | 90 | 0.42 |
 25–29 | 172 (26.2%) | 16.7 | 0.96 | 17.5 | 0.65 | 91 | 0.25 |
 30–34 | 126 (19.2%) | 16.7 | 1.0 | 17.5 | 0.67 | 89 | 0.59 |
 35 +  | 186 (28.4%) | 16.8 | 0.86 | 18.0 | 0.21 | 94 | 0.13 |
Marital status | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 Married with one partner | 529 (76.1%) | 16.9 | Ref. | 17.8 | Ref. | 92 | Ref. |
 Married and partner has another wife | 127 (18.3%) | 16.7 | 0.50 | 17.5 | 0.29 | 92 | 0.94 |
 In a non-cohabitating relationship/engaged | 39 (5.6%) | 15.6 |  < 0.01 | 16.9 | 0.01 | 79 | 0.03 |
Education | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 No education | 65 (9.4%) | 15.7 | Ref. | 17.5 | Ref. | 89 | Ref. |
 Less than standard | 471 (67.8%) | 16.9 | 0.02 | 17.8 | 0.20 | 91 | 0.50 |
 Complete standard | 67 (9.6%) | 16.4 | 0.11 | 17.1 | 0.24 | 94 | 0.23 |
 Some form or more | 92 (13.2%) | 17.2 | 0.02 | 17.7 | 0.64 | 89 | 0.97 |
Wealth PCA quintiles | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 1 | 146 (21%) | 16.1 | Ref. | 17.4 | Ref. | 89 | Ref. |
 2 | 103 (14.8%) | 16.3 | 0.76 | 17.5 | 0.80 | 88 | 0.90 |
 3 | 151 (21.7%) | 17.3 | 0.04 | 17.8 | 0.06 | 93 | 0.18 |
 4 | 149 (21.4%) | 17.0 | 0.13 | 17.8 | 0.05 | 92 | 0.45 |
 5 | 146 (21.0%) | 17.0 | 0.09 | 17.8 | 0.08 | 92 | 0.38 |
Employed for wages in past three months | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 Yes | 570 (82.1%) | 16.5 | Ref. | 17.4 | Ref. | 92 | Ref. |
 No | 124 (17.9%) | 18.0 |  < 0.001 | 18.8 |  < 0.001 | 88 | 0.07 |
Pregnancy intention | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 Intends to get pregnant in next 12 months | 82 (11.8%) | 15.8 |  < 0.01 | 17.0 |  < 0.01 | 71 |  < 0.001 |
 Does not intend to get pregnant in next 12 months | 612 (88.2%) | 16.9 | Ref. | 17.8 | Ref. | 94 | Ref. |
Happiness about pregnancy in next year | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 Very happy | 127 (18.3%) | 16.8 | Ref. | 17.7 | Ref. | 80 | Ref. |
 A little bit happy | 47 (6.8%) | 16.9 | 0.71 | 17.5 | 0.72 | 91 | 0.07 |
 Not at all happy | 521 (75.0%) | 16.8 | 0.97 | 17.7 | 0.89 | 94 |  < 0.001 |
Timing for next child | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 No more children | 246 (35.5%) | 16.7 | Ref. | 18.0 | Ref. | 94 | Ref. |
 As soon as possible | 31 (4.5%) | 14.2 |  < 0.001 | 15.8 |  < 0.001 | 71 |  < 0.001 |
 Defined time | 271 (39.1%) | 17.8 |  < 0.01 | 18.2 | 0.36 | 91 | 0.15 |
 Undecided | 145 (20.9%) | 15.7 |  < 0.01 | 16.5 |  < 0.001 | 92 | 0.45 |
Method type | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 None | 61 (8.9%) | 15.6 | Ref. | 17.1 | Ref. | – | – |
 Permanent | 126 (18.3%) | 16.8 | 0.03 | 18.0 | 0.02 | – | – |
 Long-acting | 196 (28.5%) | 17.0 |  < 0.01 | 17.6 | 0.12 | – | – |
 Short-acting | 306 (44.4%) | 16.9 | 0.01 | 17.7 | 0.05 | – | – |