Fundamental data regarding the emergency management of infectious diseases in higher education institutions: HIV knowledge and stigma among college students in Southwest China
- 1School of Economics and Management, Civil Aviation Flight University of China
- 2Sichuan Provincial Engineering Research Center of Smart Operation and Maintenance of Civil Aviation Airports
- 3School of Public Health, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the knowledge on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and factors related to HIV stigma among college students to enlighten them on the development of HIV prevention strategies and better understand the additional benefit of HIV risk reduction, supplied fundamental data for the emergency management of infectious diseases in higher educational institutions. This cross-sectional study enrolled students from 10 universities in southwest China ( n = 4,133). Survey questions included demographic information, HIV knowledge, HIV stigma, and self-esteem. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to summarize the data. Logistic regression was used to analyze factors related to HIV knowledge and stigma. The knowledge level of respondents on HIV was 74.2%. Stigma was highly prevalent in the form of fear of casual transmission (79.8%), moral judgment (71.1%), personal stigma (72.2%), and perceived community stigma (71.8%). The findings demonstrated that a high level of relevant knowledge regarding HIV was consistently associated with lower stigma levels in four dimensions, and that seven variables—, namely, gender, ethnicity, grade, only-child or not, sexual orientation, awareness of the HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome epidemic, and self-esteem—, played different roles in affecting various dimensions of HIV stigma. The level of HIV knowledge was low whereas HIV-associated stigma was high among college students in southwest China. Addressing HIV in colleges should incorporate efforts for reducing stigma associated with HIV. For effective infectious disease emergency management in academic settings, this study underscores the necessity of integrating stigma-reduction strategies into institutional preparedness plans. Addressing these barriers is essential for optimizing risk communication, intervention uptake, and response efficacy during public health emergencies.
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BibTeX
@article{pei2026fundamental,
title = {{Fundamental data regarding the emergency management of infectious diseases in higher education institutions: HIV knowledge and stigma among college students in Southwest China}},
author = {Fang Pei and Xin Li and Hao Yao and Rong Pei},
journal = {Frontiers in Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fpubh.2026.1970246},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1970246/full},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Fundamental data regarding the emergency management of infectious diseases in higher education institutions: HIV knowledge and stigma among college students in Southwest China
AU - Fang Pei
AU - Xin Li
AU - Hao Yao
AU - Rong Pei
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/15
JO - Frontiers in Public Health
DO - 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1970246
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1970246/full
AB - This study aimed to assess the knowledge on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and factors related to HIV stigma among college students to enlighten them on the development of HIV prevention strategies and better understand the additional benefit of HIV risk reduction, supplied fundamental data for the emergency management of infectious diseases in higher educational institutions. This cross-sectional study enrolled students from 10 universities in southwest China ( n = 4,133). Survey questions included demographic information, HIV knowledge, HIV stigma, and self-esteem. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to summarize the data. Logistic regression was used to analyze factors related to HIV knowledge and stigma. The knowledge level of respondents on HIV was 74.2%. Stigma was highly prevalent in the form of fear of casual transmission (79.8%), moral judgment (71.1%), personal stigma (72.2%), and perceived community stigma (71.8%). The findings demonstrated that a high level of relevant knowledge regarding HIV was consistently associated with lower stigma levels in four dimensions, and that seven variables—, namely, gender, ethnicity, grade, only-child or not, sexual orientation, awareness of the HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome epidemic, and self-esteem—, played different roles in affecting various dimensions of HIV stigma. The level of HIV knowledge was low whereas HIV-associated stigma was high among college students in southwest China. Addressing HIV in colleges should incorporate efforts for reducing stigma associated with HIV. For effective infectious disease emergency management in academic settings, this study underscores the necessity of integrating stigma-reduction strategies into institutional preparedness plans. Addressing these barriers is essential for optimizing risk communication, intervention uptake, and response efficacy during public health emergencies.
SN - 2296-2565
ER -