The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised serious concerns over a significant decline in condom use among sexually active teenagers since 2014, leading to a rise in unprotected sex and its associated risks.
In a statement released on Thursday, the WHO’s Regional Office for Europe highlighted a troubling trend identified in a new report.
The findings indicate a decrease in condom use among young people, which is putting them at increased risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unsafe abortions, and unplanned pregnancies.
The report, based on the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study, surveyed over 242,000 15-year-olds across 42 countries in Europe, Central Asia, and Canada between 2014 and 2022.
The data reveals a widespread reduction in condom use, with the proportion of sexually active boys using a condom during their last intercourse dropping from 70% to 61%, and among girls, the percentage fell from 63% to 57% over the same period.
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Moreover, nearly a third of adolescents reported using neither a condom nor the contraceptive pill during their last sexual encounter.
Socioeconomic disparities were also evident, with adolescents from low-income families more likely to forgo protection compared to their peers from more affluent backgrounds.
Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, attributed the decline in condom use to a lack of comprehensive sex education, which has faced increasing criticism in recent years.
He stressed the importance of equipping young people with the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions about their sexual health, thereby safeguarding their overall well-being.
The WHO’s warning underscores the need for renewed focus on sexual education and public health initiatives to reverse this worrying trend.
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