Determinants of early initiation of breastfeeding in rural Tanzania

Table 2 Breastfeeding initiation within 1 h of birth by each independent variable (n = 889)

	Absolute number of respondents (n)	% of women breastfed their newborns within 1 h of birth	p-value
OVERALL	889	51.0	−
Maternal age (years)
<20	132	54.6	0.494
20–34	548	49.5
>34+	209	52.6
Marital status
Married	710	51.6	0.212
Ever married	49	38.8
Single	130	52.3
Education attained
None	222	46.9	0.162
Primary	625	51.7
Secondary+	42	61.9
Ethnic group
Ndengereko	137	51.1	<0.001
Ngindo	126	50.0
Pogoro	127	59.1
Sukuma	102	31.4
Other	397	53.7
Religion
Muslim	452	53.5	0.002
Christian	379	51.2
Traditional/other	58	29.3
Socioeconomic status
Poor	405	48.6	0.283
Middle	284	51.1
Rich	200	55.5
District of residence
Kilombero	520	53.9	0.095
Rufiji	221	48.4
Ulanga	148	44.6
Type of residence
Township/suburban	168	57.1	0.075
Rural	721	49.5	0.075
Pregnancy wantedness
Intended	456	49.8	0.087
Mistimed	299	48.8
Unwanted	134	59.7
Mode of childbirth
Vaginal	774	54.4	<0.001
Caesarean section	115	27.8	<0.001
Place of childbirth
Home	227	42.3	0.002
Health facility	662	53.9	0.002
Gravidity
1	181	55.8	0.325
2–4	422	50.2
>4	286	49.0
Number of ANC visits made
<4	507	52.1	0.444
≥4	382	49.5	0.444
Counseled on immediate breastfeeding during ANC visits?
No	276	48.9	0.414
Yes	613	51.9	0.414
Mother’s knowledge of health practices related to pregnancy
Comprehensive	310	54.5	0.210
Moderate	359	50.4
Low	220	46.8
Mother’s knowledge of newborn danger signs
High	325	43.1	0.001
Moderate	310	53.9
Low	254	57.5

ISSN: 1746-4358