Abstract: ObjectiveTo investigate the awareness and source of knowledge about human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome(HIV/AIDS)and related factors among urban and rural residents in China.MethodsWith telephone numbers selected by stratified random sampling,a telephone survey was ccducted to collect information from the residents at age of 15-60 years in Inner Mongolia,Shanghai and Gansu province.A structured questionnaire was used to collect information about general demographic characteristics and the knowledge for HIV/AIDS.ResultsA total of 1 683 residents from the 3 provinces were interviewed.The awareness rates of HIV/AIDS knowledge in the residents of Inner Mongolia,Shanghai and Gansu province were 87.3%,87.1% and 86.2%,respectively;the awareness rates of HIV/AIDS policy were 95.7%,93.0% and 93.2%.The awareness rates of knowledge and policy for HIV/AIDS were significantly different between the residents of different residence,age and education level(P<0.01);the awareness rates of young and highly educated residents were higher than other residents significantly.The main access to get HIV/AIDS knowledge was television(73.2%).Multiple logistic regression showed that high education level was a protective factor for awareness rate of knowledge(odds ratio OR=0.144 for middle school,OR=0.307 for high school,OR=0.305 for college,and OR=0.638 for university or higher education).ConclusionHealth education on HIV/AIDS needs to be improved based on the characteristics of the residents.