| Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of AIDS from 1996 to 2017 in Dandong City and provide scientific basis for the formulation of prevention and control strategies. Methods Data concerning HIV/AIDS case report cards were downloaded from the Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Information System in China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention, and a database was built and statistical analysis was performed. Results From 1996 to 2017, the cumulative number of HIV/AIDS cases reported in Dandong City was 751, including 546 HIV-infected cases and 205 AIDS cases, and a total of 175 deaths were reported. The conversion rate of AIDS in HIV infected cases decreased from 20.00% to 6.04% from 2007 to 2017. Among the cases reported 86.58% were young adults aged 20-55 years, and the infection rate reached the peak in the young population aged 18-34 years. Males accounted for 86.42%. Cases who education level was below junior middle school accounted for 67.11%. Single (unmarried/divorced/widowed) population accounted for 83.22%. In the cases, 73.50% were infected by sexual transmission and the proportion of cases infected by homosexual transmission to the total number of cases reported annually increased rapidly from 16.67% in 2007 to 52.94% in 2017. The cases reported were mainly detected by voluntary counseling and testing, accounting for 36.88% (277/751) of all cases. The proportion of detected cases from other patients was increasing in recent years. Conclusions The conversion rate of AIDS in HIV-infected patients shows a downward trend. Single, young, male, home-based work and service professionals are the targeted groups to carry out AIDS prevention and control. Behavioral intervention for high-risk population such as men who have sex with men and the scope of testing and health education concerning AIDS prevention and control in junior middle schools should be strengthened and expanded. |