Table 1 Characteristics of lactating mothers (n = 346) visiting public health facilities in Aksum, Tigray, Northern Ethiopia, June 2015

Age

 15–30

240 (69.4)

 31–40

86 (24.9)

  > 40

20 (5.8)

Residential address

 Urban

280 (80.9)

 Rural

66 (19.1)

Religion

 Orthodox

306 (88.4)

 Muslim

40 (11.6)

Marital status

 Single

18 (5.2)

 Married

299 (86)

 Divorced

22 (6.4)

 Widowed

7 (2)

Educational status

 No formal education

57 (16.5)

 Elementary (1–8)

130 (37.6)

 Secondary (9–12)

113 (32.6)

 12+

46 (13.3)

Occupational status

 Unemployed

66 (19.1)

 House wife

162 (46.8)

 Daily laborer

34 (9.8)

 Private business^a

84 (24.3)

Family size

 1–3

25 (7.2)

 4–6

250 (72.3)

  > 6

71 (20.5)

Source of drinking water

 Tap water

276 (79.8)

 Pumping water

53 (15.3)

 Protected well

17 (4.9)

Latrine availability

 Yes

284 (82.1)

 No

62 (17.9)

Average monthly income

  < 501 ETB^b

196 (56.6)

 501–1500 ETB

99 (28.6)

  > 1500 ETB

51(14.8)

History of illness in the previous 2 weeks

 Yes

53 (15.3)

 No

293 (86.7)

Age at first menstruation (years)

  < 13

12 (3.5)

 13–16

286 (82.7)

  > 16

48 (13.9)

Duration of menstruation (days)^c

  < 4

49 (14.2)

 4–6

270 (78)

  > 6

27 (7.8)