OBJECTIVETo describe knowledge, attitudes and behaviors on infectious diseases in different Chinese populations by their education levels, occupation and residential districts.

METHODSData regarding awareness of the transmission routes and prevention strategies on hepatitis, sexually transmitted diseases (STD), acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and prevalence rates on a) self-reported STD b) seeking treatment for STD c) source of knowledge on AIDS prevention, were calculated based on results from 17 questions of BRFS questionnaire by weight on age structures from 2000 census.

RESULTSMost people realized that hepatitis, STD and AIDS were important issues in public health. However, their awareness on the transmission routes of these diseases was not satisfied. Moreover, due to the fear of these diseases, 27.6% and 30.1% of the people studied thought that shaking hands with STD patients and HIV carriers could get infected. 9.9% of the people reported that they ever used a condom during the past year. 2.2/1000 of the people reported that they had ever suffered from STD during the past 5 years, with 3.4/1000 in males, 0.9/1000 in females, 4.2/1000 in urban population and 1.6/1000 in rural population. Among these STD patients, 75.0% of them reported that they had ever received treatment in a STD clinic including 38.2% of them reporting that they had ever received treatment in private clinics without license, and 6.7% of them reported that they had ever treated by drugs bought by themselves. 47.0% of people reported that they had received health education materials or information on AIDS prevention from medical workers or through media. 12.1% of the people had been informed that condom use could prevent from STD and AIDS transmission.

CONCLUSIONThe awareness on hepatitis, STD and AIDS was quite insufficient in the Chinese general population, especially in rural and western part of China. With the development of AIDS epidemic from people with high risk behavior to the general population, China will undertake tremendous disease burdens from AIDS in the future.