Crude and adjusted odds ratios of socio-demographic determinants of malaria status
Table
2 presents the Crude Odds Ratio (COR) and Adjusted Odds Ratios (AOR) at a 95% Confidence Interval (CI) of sociodemographic characteristics and malaria status. In the crude model, age was found to have a statistically significant association with positive malaria status. Study participants aged 11–20 years were 84% less likely to test positive for malaria (COR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.62–1.14) as compared to participants aged 10 years and below, while those aged 51 years and above were 46% less likely to test positive for malaria (COR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.34–0.63). Participants of age groups 21–30, 31–40 and 41–50 were 54%, 47% and 53% less likely to test positive for malaria as compared to participants aged 10 years and below, respectively (COR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.42–0.70), (COR:0.47, 95% CI: 0.36–0.61), (COR:0.53, 95% CI: 0.39–0.72). Male participants were 44% more likely to test positive for malaria as compared to the female participants (COR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.22–1.70) and this is statistically significant.
Table 2
Crude and adjusted odds ratios of socio-demographic characteristics (factors) and malaria (Microscopy)
Age in years | | | | |
≤ 10 | Ref. | | Ref. | |
11–20 | 0.84(0.62–1.14) | 0.265 | 0.73(0.52–1.02) | 0.068 |
21–30 | 0.54(0.42–0.70) | < 0.001* | 0.45(0.31–0.65) | < 0.001* |
31–40 | 0.47(0.36–0.61) | < 0.001* | 0.42(0.28–0.63) | < 0.001* |
41–50 | 0.53(0.39–0.72) | < 0.001* | 0.48(0.31–0.75) | 0.001* |
≥ 51 | 0.46(0.34–0.63) | < 0.001* | 0.45(0.29–0.71) | 0.001* |
Sex | | | | |
Female | Ref. | | Ref. | |
Male | 1.44(1.22–1.70) | < 0.001* | 1.36(1.15–1.61) | < 0.001* |
Residential status | | | | |
Urban | Ref. | | Ref. | |
Rural | 1.31(1.12–1.55) | 0.001* | 1.30(1.10–1.53) | 0.002* |
Religion | | | | |
No Religion | Ref. | | Ref. | |
Christian | 0.57(0.44–0.74) | < 0.001* | 0.60(0.45–0.78) | < 0.001* |
Muslim | 0.75(0.55–1.01) | 0.060 | 0.76(0.56–1.04) | 0.082 |
Occupation | | | | |
Unemployed | Ref. | | Ref. | |
Employed | 0.84(0.70–1.00) | 0.051 | 1.60(1.21–2.11) | 0.001* |
Marital status | | | | |
Single | Ref. | | Ref. | |
Married | 0.66(0.57–0.78) | < 0.001* | 0.78(0.64–0.97) | 0.023* |
Widowed/Divorced/ Separated | 0.58(0.34–0.99) | 0.045* | 0.73(0.40–1.30) | 0.285 |
The crude model further revealed that both residential status and religious affiliation are associated with participants’ malaria status. The odds of testing positive for malaria among rural residents were 31% more as compared to urban residents (COR: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.12–1.55) and this is statistically significant. Also, Christians and Muslims were 57% and 75% less likely to test positive for malaria as compared to those with no religious affiliation respectively (COR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.44–0.74), (COR: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.55–1.01). Participants who were married were 66% less likely to test positive for malaria compared to those who are single (COR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.57–0.78) and this is statistically significant. Participants who were separated/divorced/widowed were 58% less likely to test positive for malaria (COR: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.34–0.99) compare to those who were single and this is also statistically significant.
After adjusting for other explanatory variables, participants’ age was found to be statistically significantly associated with testing positive for malaria. Participants aged 21–30, 31–40, 41–50 and 51 + were 45, 42, 48, and 45% less likely to test positive for malaria infection, respectively (AOR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.31–0.65), (AOR: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.28–0.63), (AOR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.31–0.75), (AOR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.29–0.71) and these are statistically significant. Both sex and residential status had statistically significant associations with malaria status; with an increased odds of 36% and 30% of testing positive for malaria compared to females (AOR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.15–1.61), (AOR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.10–1.53) and urban residents respectively. The adjusted model revealed that while the odds of testing positive for malaria among Christian participants reduced by 60% compared to those not affiliated with any religion (AOR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.45–0.78) and this is statistically significant. Muslim participants were 77% less likely to test positive for malaria but this was not statistically significant (AOR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.56–1.04). The odds of testing positive for malaria also increased by 60% among the participants that were employed (AOR: 1.60, 95% CI: 1.21–2.11) and this is also statistically significant. Again, the odds of being positive for malaria among the participants who married and those either Widowed/Divorced/Separated were 78% (AOR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.64–0.97) and 73% (AOR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.40–1.30) less likely, compared to single participants.