ObjectiveTo learn about the levels of AIDS-related knowledge among medical students and their attitude levels towards AIDS-infected persons or patients.

MethodsBy cluster sampling survey, self-designed questionnaires were used among all students in the medical college in Nanchang to investigate their awareness of AIDS and their attitudes towards AIDS-infected persons or patients, and compare differences among students of different grades, genders, and majors.

ResultsA total of 1 735 questionnaires were distributed, with an effective recovery rate of 97.12%.The awareness rate of basic knowledge of AIDS was 84.15%, and the lowest awareness rate of mosquito bites transmission of AIDS was 64.63%.The awareness rate of basic knowledge of AIDS was higher among freshmen and students majoring in preventive medicine and medical examination (P < 0.05).The awareness rate of AIDS window period was 77.86%, among which the nursing medical students were higher in the rate; the awareness rate in the window period was 80.36%, among which the preventive medicine students were higher (P < 0.05) in the rate.And 33.11% of students wanted to contact and understand the AIDS infected persons or patients, and 15.84% of them were willing to share a dormitory with the AIDS infected students.There were significant differences in the willingness distribution of those sharing a dormitory with HIV-infected persons and those with different levels of contacting and understanding them (P < 0.05).

ConclusionMedical students in this college do not fully understand AIDS-related knowledge, and there is a separation of knowledge and behavior.Health education should enhance medical students' awareness of respecting and guaranteeing the rights of AIDS-infected persons or patients, so as to help reduce and eliminate discrimination against AIDS-infected persons or patients in their future medical behaviors