The World Health Organisation has raised concerns over a significant decline in condom use among sexually active adolescents since 2014, leading to an increase in unprotected sex and associated risks.
In a statement released on Thursday, the WHO’s Regional Office for Europe highlighted a troubling trend revealed by a new report, which showed a decrease in condom use among young people.
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The report warns that this decline is putting adolescents at greater risk of sexually transmitted infections, unsafe abortions, and unplanned pregnancies.
The findings, 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 indicates a widespread reduction in condom use, with the proportion of sexually active boys using a condom during their last intercourse dropping from 70 per cent to 61 per cent, and from 63 per cent to 57 per cent among girls during the same period.
Furthermore, nearly a third of adolescents reported using neither a condom nor the contraceptive pill during their last intercourse, with socioeconomic disparities also playing a role.
Adolescents from low-income families were more likely to report not using protection compared to those 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 criticism in recent years.
He emphasised the need to provide young people with the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions about their sexual health, thereby safeguarding their overall well-being.
