[AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors: a prevalence survey among 309 homosexual men in a Chinese city].

Objective: To gain an insight into the demographic characteristics and AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of men who have sex with men (MSM) in a Chinese city, and to offer a base for preventive measures against AIDS.

Methods: We carried out a prevalence survey, using "snowball" methods to set up survey sites in the "comrade" community, the "comrades" looking for the respondents by various means.

Results: Among 309 respondents, 265 (85.8%) were younger than 30 years, 187 (60.5%) received college education or above, 187 (60.5%) were government officials or employees, and 91 (29.4%) were students; 299 (96.8%) were willing or very willing to get knowledge about HIV prevention and treatment, 201 (65.1%) considered themselves as MSM, 76 (24.6%) admitted bisexuality, 117 (37.9%) had insertion sex with at least three men in the past six months, 61 (19.7%) had two or more regular male sexual partners, 140 (45.3%) used condoms on >80% occasions and 34 (11.0%) occasionally or never used them during vaginal sex in the past six months.

Conclusion: MSM in the city showed the characteristics of younger age, higher education, stable employment and income, more than one sexual partner, high frequency of high-risk behavior, and negligence of condom-use, and most (96.8%) of them are willing or very willing to obtain AIDS prevention knowledge, which deserves particular attention from relevant institutions.