Awareness, Knowledge, Attitude, and Source of Information on HIV Infection Among College Students

Caixia Zheng,1,* Qingyun Tang,2,* Jianyong Zeng,1 Huiqun Zhong,2 Hongyan Xie,3 Hongjie Ou1 1Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Infectious...

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Main Authors: Zheng C, Tang Q, Zeng J, Zhong H, Xie H, Ou H
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2025-07-01
Series:Risk Management and Healthcare Policy
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Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/awareness-knowledge-attitude-and-source-of-information-on-hiv-infectio-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-RMHP
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author Zheng C
Tang Q
Zeng J
Zhong H
Xie H
Ou H
author_facet Zheng C
Tang Q
Zeng J
Zhong H
Xie H
Ou H
author_sort Zheng C
collection DOAJ
description Caixia Zheng,1,* Qingyun Tang,2,* Jianyong Zeng,1 Huiqun Zhong,2 Hongyan Xie,3 Hongjie Ou1 1Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of General Practice, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Hongjie Ou, Department of Infectious diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, No. 10, Shanggu Road, Siming District, Xiamen City, 361003, Fujian Province, People’s Republic of China, Email ouhongjie@sina.com Hongyan Xie, Department of General Practice, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 1838 Guangzhou Avenue North, Guangzhou City, 510515, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China, Email 492577598@qq.comObjective: To evaluate the college students’ awareness, knowledge, attitude, and source of information on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).Methods: This is a multicenter study with 490 college students participated in the questionnaire survey. Among them, 261 are medical students and 229 are non-medical students. A questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data and investigate the awareness of and knowledge about HIV infection, the practice of preventive measures, and sources of HIV-related information.Results: There is no significantly different on self-report awareness of HIV infection between medical and non-medical students (P = 0.919). However, a higher proportion of non-medical students misunderstand the HIV transmission routes. For the sources of knowledge, non-medical students were more likely to obtain from the Internet (P=0.029), TV medias (P=0.027) and others (P=0.032). The proportion of medical students acquiring HIV-related knowledge from doctors was significantly higher (P< 0.001). A higher percentage of non-medical students indicated a lack of HIV knowledge and expressed a need for more HIV related education (P=0.002). Non-medical students expressed a preference for HIV education that covers a broader spectrum of HIV-related knowledge (P=0.046), indicating a desire for more comprehensive understanding beyond basic HIV-related awareness. In contrast, medical students indicated a preference for more frequent sessions with longer durations (P=0.038).Conclusion: Medical students were significantly more aware of HIV related knowledge than the non-medical students. Our research can provide relevant data support for further improving the methods and content of health education for young people.Keywords: acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, human immunodeficiency virus, awareness, knowledge, attitude, source
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spelling doaj-art-9dae420c0afb4378bb7bd4bfe2c18f202025-08-20T03:49:54ZengDove Medical PressRisk Management and Healthcare Policy1179-15942025-07-01Volume 18Issue 123232333104653Awareness, Knowledge, Attitude, and Source of Information on HIV Infection Among College StudentsZheng C0Tang Q1Zeng J2Zhong HXie H3Ou H4Department of Infectious DiseasesDepartment of Infectious DiseasesDepartment of Infectious DiseasesDepartment of Infectious DiseasesDepartment of Infectious DiseasesCaixia Zheng,1,* Qingyun Tang,2,* Jianyong Zeng,1 Huiqun Zhong,2 Hongyan Xie,3 Hongjie Ou1 1Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of General Practice, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Hongjie Ou, Department of Infectious diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, No. 10, Shanggu Road, Siming District, Xiamen City, 361003, Fujian Province, People’s Republic of China, Email ouhongjie@sina.com Hongyan Xie, Department of General Practice, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 1838 Guangzhou Avenue North, Guangzhou City, 510515, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China, Email 492577598@qq.comObjective: To evaluate the college students’ awareness, knowledge, attitude, and source of information on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).Methods: This is a multicenter study with 490 college students participated in the questionnaire survey. Among them, 261 are medical students and 229 are non-medical students. A questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data and investigate the awareness of and knowledge about HIV infection, the practice of preventive measures, and sources of HIV-related information.Results: There is no significantly different on self-report awareness of HIV infection between medical and non-medical students (P = 0.919). However, a higher proportion of non-medical students misunderstand the HIV transmission routes. For the sources of knowledge, non-medical students were more likely to obtain from the Internet (P=0.029), TV medias (P=0.027) and others (P=0.032). The proportion of medical students acquiring HIV-related knowledge from doctors was significantly higher (P< 0.001). A higher percentage of non-medical students indicated a lack of HIV knowledge and expressed a need for more HIV related education (P=0.002). Non-medical students expressed a preference for HIV education that covers a broader spectrum of HIV-related knowledge (P=0.046), indicating a desire for more comprehensive understanding beyond basic HIV-related awareness. In contrast, medical students indicated a preference for more frequent sessions with longer durations (P=0.038).Conclusion: Medical students were significantly more aware of HIV related knowledge than the non-medical students. Our research can provide relevant data support for further improving the methods and content of health education for young people.Keywords: acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, human immunodeficiency virus, awareness, knowledge, attitude, sourcehttps://www.dovepress.com/awareness-knowledge-attitude-and-source-of-information-on-hiv-infectio-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-RMHPacquired immunodeficiency syndromehuman immunodeficiency virusawarenessknowledgeattitudesource
spellingShingle Zheng C
Tang Q
Zeng J
Zhong H
Xie H
Ou H
Awareness, Knowledge, Attitude, and Source of Information on HIV Infection Among College Students
Risk Management and Healthcare Policy
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
human immunodeficiency virus
awareness
knowledge
attitude
source
title Awareness, Knowledge, Attitude, and Source of Information on HIV Infection Among College Students
title_full Awareness, Knowledge, Attitude, and Source of Information on HIV Infection Among College Students
title_fullStr Awareness, Knowledge, Attitude, and Source of Information on HIV Infection Among College Students
title_full_unstemmed Awareness, Knowledge, Attitude, and Source of Information on HIV Infection Among College Students
title_short Awareness, Knowledge, Attitude, and Source of Information on HIV Infection Among College Students
title_sort awareness knowledge attitude and source of information on hiv infection among college students
topic acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
human immunodeficiency virus
awareness
knowledge
attitude
source
url https://www.dovepress.com/awareness-knowledge-attitude-and-source-of-information-on-hiv-infectio-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-RMHP
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