Objective: To investigate HIV/AIDS knowledge levels and associated determinants among university students in a border region of Yunnan Province, providing evidence for targeted campus-based HIV prevention education programs. Methods: An anonymous online survey was conducted from November 2024 to February 2025 using a self-designed questionnaire distributed through the Wenjuanxing platform to 1017 university students at a border institution in Yunnan Province. Data were analyzed using R 4.3.0, employing chi-square tests, rank-sum tests, and binary logistic regression analysis. Results: Among 923 valid responses (response rate: 90.8%), the overall HIV/AIDS knowledge awareness rate was 65.9% (608/923), with only 0.9% achieving perfect scores. Critical knowledge gaps were identified in understanding “primary HIV transmission routes” (45.7%), “World AIDS Day date” (55.4%), “absence of curative treatments in China” (57.0%), and “kissing does not transmit HIV” (59.5%). Univariate analysis revealed significant associations (P < 0.05) between knowledge levels and gender, ethnicity, residence, academic year, major, active information-seeking behavior, prior HIV education, and sexual experience. Multivariate logistic regression identified medical majors (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.02 - 1.77) and active knowledge-seeking (OR = 4.48, 95% CI: 3.35 - 5.99) as facilitating factors, while sexual experience (OR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.27 - 0.68) and first-year enrollment (OR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.49 - 0.85) emerged as barriers to adequate knowledge. Conclusions: HIV/AIDS knowledge among students at this Yunnan border university remains suboptimal at 65.9%, with substantial deficits in critical areas. Enhanced HIV prevention and sexual health education should prioritize ethnic minority students, freshmen, and non-medical majors, focusing on transmission routes and prevention measures to improve cognitive levels and inform evidence-based campus health education initiatives.
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