OBJECTIVETo understand awareness on transmission routes of sexually transmitted diseases and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (STD/AIDS) among migrant workers in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province.

METHODSA cross-sectional study was conducted in migrant workers in Hangzhou with self-administered anonymous questionnaire to collect their demographic information and awareness on STD/AIDS. All the data were analyzed by SPSS 11.0 software.

RESULTSA total of 3 001 subjects were interviewed. Most of them have already had some knowledge about STD/AIDS, but not complete. There were 556 (18.8%) migrant workers did not understand that condom could prevent from STD, and 759 did not know if it could do. There were 357 (11.9%) workers did not know AIDS could be prevented, and 746 (24.9%) thought that AIDS could be cured. There were 637 workers did not know that correct use of condom could reduce occurrence of AIDS, and 725 of them thought AIDS could be infected by hands-shaking and hugging with patients of AIDS. There existed statistically significant difference in awareness on STD/AIDS between men and women, workers with varied marital status and education levels.

CONCLUSIONSAwareness on STD/AIDS in migrant workers was smattering, allowing of not optimistic. Community-based health education on knowledge about STD/AIDS should be strengthened among high-risk migrant workers with varied channels to improve their awareness.