Knowledge, attitude and behavior of AIDS in college students in Songjiang District of Shanghai

ObjectiveTo determine the status of HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, attitude and behavior in college students, and to provide the theoretical basis for strategy of control and prevention.

MethodsBy using random cluster sampling method, we conducted an anonymous online questionnaire survey on a total of 917 young students in Songjiang District of Shanghai.

ResultsThe awareness rate of HIV/AIDS-related knowledge was 71.8% among 903 responders. 11.1% of the students had sexual experience, and the rate was higher in male students than in female students(χ² = 10.549, P < 0.01). The average age of first sexual intercourse was 18.4±1.3 years old, and 60.0% of the students used condom when having sex for the first time. In this survey, only 28.2% were willing to take anonymous HIV antibody urine test, and 1.8% of the students had been tested for HIV.

ConclusionThe overall awareness rate of knowledge of prevention and control of HIV/AIDS, the rate of condom use, and the willingness to take anonymous HIV antibody urine test are low among young college students in Songjiang District of Shanghai. We suggest to carry out targeted health education activities and to expand coverage of HIV testing by promoting the anonymous HIV antibody urine test for control the spread of HIV/AIDS among young students.