Table 2 Individual- and community-level characteristics of study subjects, pooled data from 21 SSA countries, DHS 2015–2022

Child age

6–8 months

11,434

18.10

9–11 months

10,687

16.92

12–23 months

41,051

64.98

Child sex

Male

32,135

50.87

Female

31,037

49.13

Household wealth

Poor

30,390

48.10

Middle

12,531

19.84

Rich

20,251

32.06

Maternal education

No education

22,334

35.35

Primary

20,848

33.00

Secondary

17,219

27.26

Higher

2,771

4.39

Maternal age

15–24 years

21,307

33.73

25–34 years

29,083

46.04

35–49 years

12,782

20.23

Marital status

Unmarried

8,692

13.76

Married

54,480

86.24

Media exposure

No

22,871

36.20

Yes

40,301

63.80

Place of delivery

Home

16,447

26.04

Health facility

46,725

73.96

Postnatal checkup

No

41,597

66.17

Yes

21,269

33.83

Breastfeeding initiation

≥ 1 h of birth

23,804

37.68

< 1 h of birth

39,368

62.32

Drinking water source

Unimproved

23,253

36.81

Improved

39,919

63.19

Sanitation facility

Unimproved

33,422

52.91

Improved

29,750

47.09

Antenatal care visits

< 4

39,588

62.85

4–7

18,089

28.72

≥ 8

5,311

8.43

Place of residence

Urban

20,068

31.77

Rural

43,104

68.23

Community literacy

Low

35,310

55.90

High

27,862

44.10

Community poverty level

Low

30,062

47.59

High

33,110

52.41

Community media exposure

Low

33,938

53.72

High

29,234

46.28