OBJECTIVETo investigate HIV/AIDS related knowledge and attitude among high school students in China, and to preliminarily evaluate the effects of the special HIV/AIDS prevention education programme.

METHODSA total of 6487 high school students from 24 high schools of Beijing, Zhengzhou and Tangshan were investigated by using questionnaire, among which, 6487 students completed the questionnaire (96.08%). chi(2) test, t test and one way ANOVA were used to test the group differences and logistic regression was employed for further analysis. P < 0.05 was considered as statistically significance.

RESULTSThe mean knowledge and attitude scores of the students were separately 14.42 out of 20 and 6.47 out of 10. Students from Tangshan had the significantly (P < 0.001) highest knowledge and attitude level (average score of knowledge = 15.11, average score of attitude = 7.21) followed by Beijing (average score of knowledge = 14.62, average score of attitude = 6.15) and Zhengzhou (average score of knowledge = 13.56, average score of attitude = 6.07). The significant differences were observed in all except the varying attitude between Zhengzhou and Beijing (Knowledge comparison: t(Tangshan vs Beijing) = 0.49, P < 0.001, t(Tangshan vs Zhengzhou) = 1.56, P < 0.001, t(Zhengzhou vs Beijing) = 1.07, P < 0.001; Attitude Comparison: t(Tangshan vs Beijing) = 1.06, P < 0.001, t(Tangshan vs Zhengzhou) = 1.14, P < 0.001, t(Zhengzhou vs Beijing) = 0.08, P = 0.282). Boys had higher knowledge scores (average score of knowledge = 14.61) than those of girls (average score of knowledge = 14.23, t = 4.22, P < 0.001) but no significant difference was found (average knowledge score of boys = 6.47, average knowledge score of girls = 6.48, t = 0.16, P = 0.869). Higher knowledge level (OR = 1.21, P < 0.001) and being a rural student (OR = 1.31, P < 0.001) were significantly associated with higher attitude level, while higher grade (OR = 0.85, P = 0.003) and better academic performance (OR = 0.94, P = 0.003) were negative predictors of attitude.

CONCLUSIONThe HIV/AIDS related knowledge among high school students in China was relatively limited and instability positive attitude under the pressure of social desirability. It is necessary to tailor the special education strategies for further education effect improvement.