Table 1 Basic characteristics of the study groups, patients with podoconiosis and healthy controls, Northern Ethiopia, 2012

Gender

Male

139 (40.2)

149 (42.7)

0.550²

Female

207 (59.8)

200 (57.3)

Age (years)

Mean (Standard Deviation)

45.74 (13.190)

44.63 (12.903)

0.272

Range

15-80

15-85

15-24

10 (2.9)

16 (4.6)

0.495

25-34

63 (18.2)

58 (16.6)

35-44

79 (22.8)

95 (27.2)

45-54

92 (26.6)

77 (22.1)

55-64

75 (21.7)

76 (21.8)

65+

27 (7.8)

27 (7.7)

Village

Yechereka

50 (14.5)

50 (14.3)

1.000

Adis Alem

55 (15.9)

57 (16.3)

Lejat

43 (12.4)

43 (12.3)

Sazuri Dimela

48 (13.9)

49 (14.0)

Wad

50 (14.5)

51 (14.6)

Yetsed

50 (14.5)

48 (13.8)

Anigut Yedegera

50 (14.5)

51 (14.6)

Area of Residence

Rural

339 (98.0)

339 (97.1)

0.636

Urban

7 (2.0)

10 (2.9)

Occupation

Farmer

252 (72.8)

266 (76.2)

0.027

Traders

36 (10.4)

30 (8.6)

Employed

6 (1.7)

7 (2.0)

Daily Labourer

21 (6.1)

14 (4.0)

Housewife

0

11 (3.2)

Student

4 (1.2)

4 (1.1)

Jobless

16 (4.6)

11 (3.2)

Other

11 (3.2)

6 (1.7)

Ethnicity

Amhara

346 (100.0)

349 (100.0)

-

Literacy

Literate

81 (23.4)

112 (32.1)

0.013

Not literate

265 (76.6)

237 (67.9)

School Attendance (of literate)

No formal school

46 (56.8)

48 (42.9)

0.006

Primary (grade 1–6)

27 (33.3)

41 (36.6)

Secondary (grade 7–12)

8 (9.9)

23 (20.5)

Household Income (Birr/month)

Mean (SD)

285.14 (206.42)

384.3 (263.38)

<0.001

Min-Max

0-1500

0-1500

1^st quintile (poorest)

86 (24.9)

53 (15.2)

<0.001

2^nd quintile

77 (22.3)

69 (19.8)

3^rd quintile

79 (22.8)

54 (15.5)

4^th quintile

56 (16.2)

82 (23.5)

5^th quintile (richest)

48 (13.9)

91 (26.1)

Marital Status

Married

198 (57.2)

265 (75.9)

<0.001*

Unmarried

30 (8.7)

31 (8.9)

Divorced

63 (18.2)

34 (9.7)

Widowed

55 (15.9)

19 (5.4)