Abstract: ObjectiveTo investigate cog nitio n and its influence factors of infectious diseases of rural residents in Henan province.MethodCluster sampling was applied,medical staffs from medical institutes and residents in some villages were interviewed in three local counties in July 2005.ResultsRural residents.cognition of infectious diseases differed significantly from gender and education(P<0.05).There was no significant difference between different age groups(P>0.05).Cognition in medical staffs with different gender,age and education were significantly different(P<0.05).Different medical professionals had significant different HBVcognition(P<0.05).There was no significantly different among cognition on other infectious diseases among different medical professionals(P>0.05).Binary Logistic regression showed that gender,age,education were the main factors which influenced cognition on infectious diseases.ConclusionAccording to cognition on infectious diseases,more emphases should be paid on streng thening health education for the men,the elder,the lowereducated ones in the countries,at the same time,it is important to strengthen skills,operation instruction and cultivation of public health staffs.