Exploring the impact of maternal marital status on child health: insights from the 2022 Tanzanian Demographic and Health Survey

Abstract

The SDG 2.2 targets the end of all forms of malnutrition by 2030. Despite the efforts by the Tanzania government to attain this goal, over  30 percent of children under-five are stunted. This study explored the relationship between maternal marital status and child health  outcomes in Tanzania using the Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey data set of 2022. A multiple logistic regression was conducted  with the binary outcome variable “Stunted,” using predictors such as the mother's age and education level, the child's birth size, birth  order, and gender, as well as other household characteristics. The study findings highlight a significant association between maternal  marital status and child stuntedness. The mothers in a marriage relationship are 30% less likely to have stunted children (OR=0.70, 95%CI,  0.56-0.86) compared to the mothers outside the marriage relationship. Mothers with primary and secondary education or higher,  show a lower likelihood of having stunted children (OR=0.90, 95%CI 0.70-1.17) and (OR=0.68, 95%CI 0.44- 1.03) respectively compared to  their uneducated counterparts. In other words, a mother being married or educated reduces the odds of her children being stunted. The  probability of child stuntedness reduces as the wealth quintile of the household increases. This study contributes to the understanding of  the factors influencing child health outcomes in Tanzania especially the role of marriage.