Table 1 Distribution of study sample characteristics and the risk of severe malaria

Malaria treatment

 Complete treatment

48 (49.0)

26 (13.6)

Ref

 Incomplete treatment

50 (51.0)

165 (86.4)

6.09 (3.47, 10.93)

< 0.001*

Age

 Less than 5 years

32 (32.7)

78 (40.8)

Ref

 5 years and above

66 (67.3)

113 (59.2)

0.7 (0.42, 1.17)

0.176

Sex

 Female

58 (59.8)

127 (66.5)

Ref

 Male

39 (40.2)

64 (33.5)

0.75 (0.45, 1.25)

0.263

Marital status

 Single

58 (59.2)

156 (81.7)

Ref

 Married

40 (40.8)

35 (18.3)

0.33 (0.19, 0.56)

< 0.001*

Employment status

 Unemployed

86 (87.8)

182 (95.3)

Ref

 Employed

12 (12.2)

9 (4.7)

0.35 (0.14, 0.87)

0.024*

Rapid diagnostic test

 Negative

13 (13.3)

40 (20.9)

Ref

 Positive

85 (86.7)

151 (79.1)

0.58 (0.28, 1.11)

0.113

Feeding habit

 Once/twice daily

24 (24.5)

114 (59.7)

Ref

 At least thrice daily

74 (75.5)

77 (40.3)

0.22 (0.13, 0.37)

< 0.001*

Preventive measures

 None

20 (20.4)

12 (6.3)

Ref

 Environmental sanitation and/or ITN

78 (79.6)

179 (93.7)

3.82 (1.81, 8.43)

< 0.001*

N = 289