Table 3 Comparison of potential background risk factors for disease severity among individual diseases (n = 483)

Caretaker’s Education

No formal education

6.6 (2.7-15.8)*

1.8 (0.7-4.7)

3.5 (0.6-21.4)

Primary education

2.0 (1.0-4.0)*

§

1.7 (0.7-3.9)

2.2 (0.4-10.6)

Post-primary education

ref

ref

ref

Caretaker’s SES

Low

1.5 (0.9-2.6)

1.2 (0.4-3.7)

1.8 (0.9-3.8)

1.7 (0.6-4.8)

Middle

1.9 (1.2-3.2)*

1.0 (0.4-2.8)

2.2 (1.1-4.2)*

1.2 (0.4-3.5)

High

ref

ref

ref

ref

No. of own alive children

1 child

ref

ref

ref

ref

2-3 children

1.7 (1.1-2.7)*

3.2 (1.0-10.4)*

0.7 (0.4-1.4)

2.0 (0.8-4.9)

4 or more children

2.5 (1.4-4.5)*

8.5 (2.3-30.6)*

1.5 (0.6-3.3)

1.1 (0.4-3.2)

Home-hospital travel time

0-59 min

ref

ref

ref

ref

60-119 min

1.4 (0.9-2.3)

0.4 (0.1-1.5)

1.5 (0.8-2.7)

2.1 (0.7-6.2)

120+ min

2.1 (1.3-3.4)*

0.9 (0.3-2.9)

1.6 (0.9-3.1)

3.9 (1.4-10.9)*

First Rx PCM alone for 24 hrs or more

No

1.8 (1.2-2.7)*

0.9 (0.4-2.2)

1.8 (1.1-3.3)*

1.7 (0.7-4.4)

Yes

ref

ref

ref

ref

Source of first Rx other than PCM

Home/local or drug shop

3.2 (1.9-5.2)*

2.4 (1.3-4.5)*

1.2 (0.5-2.8)

Private hospital

1.9 (0.8-4.8)

§

1.7 (0.5-5.5)

0.3 (0.1-1.5)

Public hospital

ref

ref

ref

Use of nearer PHC facility

No

ref

ref

ref

ref

Yes

5.2 (3.0-9.1)*

4.2 (1.7-10.5)*

5.2 (2.3-11.9)*

4.4 (1.2-15.8)*