Objective: To improve HIV/AIDS knowledge among villagers and students in remote rural counties of Yunnan, China.
Design: The University of California at Los Angeles School of Public Health and the Institute of Health Sciences of Kunming Medical College, with the assistance of local health and community agencies, initiated a web-based intervention project. Nanhua county received computers, training on accessing the website, and ongoing logistic support for diffusing information to their village colleagues. Mouding county received computers only, and Dayao county received neither.
Methods: Health workers in the two experimental counties were encouraged to disseminate the information from the website to villagers and students. Health knowledge was queried by cross-sectional surveys before and after implementation of the intervention.
Results: Health workers, villagers and students in Nanhua experienced the greatest increase in knowledge of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections, and Dayao the lowest. The improved knowledge was substantial in many, but not all areas (e.g. hepatitis B transmission) assessed.
Conclusion: Web-based education is an effective method to increase health knowledge in rural China. Ongoing logistic support is essential for success.