ABSTRACT
Objective To find out about rural doctors' knowledge on the basic facts about AIDS and the spread of HIV via illegal blood collection and supply and explore viable intervention methods in AIDS prevention and treatment in rural areas. Methods All the rural doctors in a certain township where the epidemic of HTV being spread via blood collection and supply was pretty serious were selected for the survey and data were collected by combining qualitative and quantitative studies. Results The survey of 33 doctors was effective( 100% ) ; above 95% had a correct understanding of the spread of AIDS through sex and blood as well as its contagiousness; 50% did not possess the knowledge that HIV could be spread to the baby by the mother but could not be spread through saliva, sweat, mosquito bites or sharing of bathtubs or toilets; above 80% knew about the objective of the blood organizers in their villages, the peak time of blood selling by the villagers, and the risks of diseases being spread via blood, and were opposed to blood selling; 27.3% once in a while used disposable syringes, and 15.2% discarded or sold used disposable syringes. Conclusion There are severe lurking perils of iatrogenic cross infection in rural areas. Rural doctors are in dire need of formal training in AIDS prevention and treatment knowledge and could be expected to become the key force in AIDS prevention and treatment in rural areas.