Objective  To compare the awareness of AIDS related knowledge in rural residents aged ≥50 years in Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, between 2015 and 2020, and provide evidence for the development of health education plan and AIDS prevention and control in Liuzhou.

  Methods  By a multi-stage stratified random sampling, rural residents aged ≥50 years in Liuzhou were selected to conduct questionnaire surveys of the awareness of AIDS related knowledge in 2015 and 2020. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the influencing factors for the awareness of AIDS related knowledge in local rural residents in 2020.

  Results  In 2015 and 2020, a total of 1 298 and 1 373 rural residents in Liuzhou were selected, respectively. The awareness rates of AIDS related knowledge of them were 24.7% and 69.5% respectively. The awareness rates of the question “Can mosquito bites transmit AIDS?” was the lowest in both surveys, at 23.7% and 64.5%, respectively. The main sources of AIDS related knowledge in 2020 were TV (60.6%), medical staff (43.2%), radio (41.4%) and newspapers (20.8%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis in 2020 showed that the awareness rate of AIDS related knowledge was lower in the elderly (OR=0.516, 95% CI: 0.441−0.604). The individuals with monthly personal income of 1000− yuan (OR=1.674, 95% CI: 1.173−2.389), the married (OR=2.458, 95% CI: 1.715−3.523) and those who obtained AIDS related knowledge from free health education materials and Internet had higher awareness of AIDS related knowledge.

  Conclusion  In 2020, the awareness of AIDS related knowledge in rural residents aged ≥50 years in Liuzhou significantly increased compared with 2015. However, it is still necessary to strengthen the health education about AIDS in the elderly, individuals with monthly income <1 000 yuan and the unmarried/divorced/widowed.