Learning about HIV the hard way: HIV among Chinese MSM attending university

According to the National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, from 2011 to 2015, the number of university students infected with HIV increased by 35% annually, reaching 3236 in 2015. The Ministry of Education issued a guideline suggesting that higher education institutions set up public courses on health education, to teach students about sex and reproductive health.9 The Ministry of Education also required educational and health authorities to jointly establish a separate HIV reporting system in universities.9 The National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention has recognised university students as one of the most at-risk populations for HIV infection, and urged university authorities to recognise the challenge and increase cooperation with health departments to improve HIV control, by offering comprehensive sex education and making HIV testing more accessible on campuses.10 Biomedical interventions, including pre-exposure prophylaxis, are the most effective measures to prevent HIV among MSM. 7 C Duan, L Wei, Y Cai, Recreational drug use and risk of HIV infection among men who have sex with men: A cross-sectional study in Shenzhen, China, Drug Alcohol Depend, Vol. 181, 2017, 30-36 8 T Burki, Sex education in China leaves young vulnerable to infection, Lancet Infect Dis, Vol. 16, 2016, 26 9 Ministry of Education, University HIV reporting mechanism will be established in China, 2015, (accessed Aug 24, 2017; in Chinese).