Analysis on the results of AIDS-related behavior surveillance in health IX project in Guangxi in 2005

Objective The study was conducted to uncover the current situation of AIDS-related behavior, knowledge and attitudes among the target population, supporting the preliminary evaluation of the AIDS sub-project of the World Bank funded Health IX Project in Guangxi. Methods In accordance with the surveillance programs, the behavior surveillance was performed among drug abusers, prostitutes, vulnerable groups and young students in 20 cities (counties). Results (1) In the past six months, the proportion of sharing syringes among drug addicts accounted for 45.6%, and 29.6% of them have multiple sexual partners, whereas only 9.6% used condoms each time with their non-fixed sexual partners; (2) When delivering commercial sex service in the past month, only 39.1% of the prostitutes used condoms each time. The ratio of condom use in the last commercial sex was 87.0%; (3) It was indicated that the first sexual partner of 9.2% of the vulnerable was commercial; in the recent three months, 42.4% of the respondents had commercial or non-fixed sexual partners, whereas 34.7% of them had never used condoms; (4) The knowledge of AIDS among various groups had improved, particularly significantly among young students and prostitutes. However, their knowledge of the non-transmission routes of AIDS was relatively poor. Conclusion It is necessary to strengthen anti-discriminative publicity and education of non-transmission routes of AIDS. Targeted education for various groups on the basis of their different characteristics should be established, as well as high-intensity intervention, in order to avoid the AIDS-related high-risk behavior among the target population and reduce the transmission of AIDS.