Condom use among sexually active teenagers in Europe has fallen significantly over the past decade, and rates of unprotected sex remain “alarmingly high,” the World Health Organization said Thursday.
“This is putting young people at greater risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancies,” WHO Europe said in a statement.
Survey data from more than 242,000 15-year-olds in 42 of the 53 countries in the World Health Organization’s European Region (which includes Central Asia) showed that the proportion of sexually active adolescent boys who used a condom the last time they had sex fell from 70 percent in 2014 to 61 percent in 2022.
The number of girls who said they used a condom the last time they had sex dropped from 63 percent to 57 percent.
Nearly a third of teens said they used neither a condom nor a birth control pill the last time they had sex, and this was no change since 2018.
The use of birth control pills also remained relatively stable between 2014 and 2022, with 26 percent of teens aged 15 and over reporting that they or their partner used one the last time they had sex.
The report also showed that teens from lower-income families are more likely to not use condoms or the pill, with 33 percent reporting they used neither during their last sexual intercourse, compared to 25 percent in more affluent families.
“Age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education remains neglected in many countries, and even where it is available, it has come under increasing attack in recent years due to the misconception that it promotes sexual behaviour,” Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Europe director, said in a statement.
“The truth is that providing young people with the right knowledge at the right time leads to optimal health outcomes associated with responsible behaviours and choices,” he said.
In addition to higher rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) and unplanned pregnancies, inadequate sex education increases health care costs and hampers young people’s education and career paths, the World Health Organisation said.
“We are reaping the bitter fruits of these reactionary efforts, and the situation will only get worse if governments, health authorities, the education sector and other essential stakeholders do not truly identify the root causes of the current situation and take steps to rectify it,” it said.
The agency urged policymakers, educators and healthcare providers to invest in comprehensive sexuality education, improve access to sexual health services, promote dialogue and better train teachers.
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