OBJECTIVETo gain an insight into the demographic characteristics and AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of men who have sex with men (MSM) in a Chinese city, and to offer a base for preventive measures against AIDS.

METHODSWe carried out a prevalence survey, using "snowball" methods to set up survey sites in the "comrade" community, the "comrades" looking for the respondents by various means.

RESULTSAmong 309 respondents, 265 (85.8%) were younger than 30 years, 187 (60.5%) received college education or above, 187 (60.5%) were government officials or employees, and 91 (29.4%) were students; 299 (96.8%) were willing or very willing to get knowledge about HIV prevention and treatment, 201 (65.1%) considered themselves as MSM, 76 (24.6%) admitted bisexuality, 117 (37.9%) had insertion sex with at least three men in the past six months, 61 (19.7%) had two or more regular male sexual partners, 140 (45.3%) used condoms on >80% occasions and 34 (11.0%) occasionally or never used them during vaginal sex in the past six months.

CONCLUSIONMSM in the city showed the characteristics of younger age, higher education, stable employment and income, more than one sexual partner, high frequency of high-risk behavior, and negligence of condom-use, and most (96.8%) of them are willing or very willing to obtain AIDS prevention knowledge, which deserves particular attention from relevant institutions.