title: Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Regarding Occupational HIV Exposure and Protection among Health Care Workers in China: Census Survey in a Rural Area.
abstract: Health care workers (HCWs) seek, treat, and care for patients living with HIV/AIDS on a daily basis and thus face a significant risk to work-related infections. To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding occupational HIV exposure and protection among HCWs in low HIV prevalence areas of rural China.
  
  
  
  A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was carried out among all medical units in Pucheng County, Shaanxi, China.
  
  
  
  Response rate of this study was 94%. The average overall knowledge score of HCWs was 10.9 of 21.0. Deficiencies in general, transmission, exposure, and protection knowledge were identified among HCWs at all levels. A high rate of occupational exposure (85%) and lack of universal precautions practice behavior were recorded. Significant predictors of universal precautions practice behavior were female sex, prior training, and greater knowledge about HIV/AIDS.
  
  
  
  Health care workers at various levels have inadequate knowledge on HIV/AIDS and do not practice universal precautions. Nurses and medical technicians at the county level faced more occupation risk than other HCWs. The key of AIDS training for different levels of HCWs should be distinguished.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Public Health, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Pucheng County Hospital, Weinan, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiao Fei
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology, Center for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Dimpy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Pucheng County Hospital, Weinan, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology, Center for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Lu-Yu
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Public Health, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China 673932345@qq.com.
authors.forename: GuiHua
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhuang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016635:Universal Precautions
keywords: HIV; health care workers; occupational exposure; prevention