Xiangya Shool of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
University of Connecticut School of Nursing, Storrs, Connecticut, USA.
BMJ Open. 2022 Aug 29;12(8):e058108. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058108.
China has seen an increasing number of international students in recent years, mostly from Africa and Asia. However, little is known about these students' HIV knowledge, sexual practices and potential HIV risk. This study aimed to describe HIV-related risk among international students.
An online cross-sectional survey.
10 universities situated in one province of China.
617 international students filled out the questionnaire and 607 international students were included in this study.
Socio-demographic and programme-related characteristics, HIV-related knowledge, sexual practices and other HIV/sexually transmitted infection-related variables. Logistic regression analyses were performed to examine factors associated with inconsistent condom use among international students.
The results showed that in total, only 51.6% (313/607) of international students had adequate HIV-related knowledge, and 64.9% (394/607) reported not receiving any HIV related education or training while studying in China. Moreover, 32.3% (196/607) reported having penetrative sex including oral, vaginal and anal sex during the period in which they studied in China and among them. The proportions of inconsistent condom use in vaginal and oral intercourse while studying in China were 52.6% (50/95) and 79.5% (35/44), respectively, with casual partners, and 60% (80/129) and 91.2% (52/57) with regular partners, respectively. Female gender, being married and having multiple sexual partners were associated with inconsistent condom use.
The present study indicated that international students in one province of China have suboptimal HIV-related knowledge, significant unprotected sex, less HIV testing and less safe sex education, which highlights an urgent need to provide HIV education and related health services to international students in China.
近年来，中国的国际留学生数量不断增加，主要来自非洲和亚洲。然而，对于这些学生的艾滋病病毒（HIV）知识、性行为以及潜在的 HIV 风险知之甚少。本研究旨在描述国际留学生的 HIV 相关风险。
在线横断面调查。
中国一个省份的 10 所大学。
617 名国际留学生填写了问卷，其中 607 名国际留学生纳入本研究。
社会人口学和项目相关特征、HIV 相关知识、性行为以及其他 HIV/性传播感染相关变量。采用逻辑回归分析来检验与国际留学生不一致使用安全套相关的因素。
结果显示，在总共 607 名国际留学生中，仅有 51.6%（313/607）具备充分的 HIV 相关知识，且 64.9%（394/607）在华学习期间未接受任何 HIV 相关教育或培训。此外，32.3%（196/607）报告在华学习期间有过包括肛交、阴道交和口交在内的实质性性行为。在华学习期间与性伴侣发生无保护性行为的比例，阴道交和口交分别为 52.6%（50/95）和 79.5%（35/44），与偶然伴侣发生时为 60%（80/129）和 91.2%（52/57），与固定伴侣发生时。女性、已婚和有多个性伴侣与不一致使用安全套有关。
本研究表明，中国一个省份的国际留学生 HIV 相关知识不足，无保护性行为显著，HIV 检测和安全性教育较少，这突出表明中国迫切需要为国际留学生提供 HIV 教育和相关卫生服务。
