Condom use in Europe among sexually active teenagers has seen a significant decrease in the last ten years, with ‘alarming’ rates of unprotected sex, as revealed in a new report by the World Health Organization (W.H.O) released on Thursday.
Data related to condom use in Europe was collected from over 242,000 15-year-olds across 42 countries in the W.H.O. The European region, which includes central Asia, shows that only 61% of boys reported using a condom during their most recent sexual encounter in 2022, down from 70% in 2014.
Among girls, the percentage dropped from 63% to 57% during the same period.
W.H.O Europe warned that this situation puts young people at a considerable risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancies.
Nearly one-third of teenagers (30%) admitted they did not use either a condom or contraceptive during their most recent sexual encounter—a figure that has remained almost unchanged since 2018.
Only 26% of 15-year-olds reported that they made use of contraception in their last sexual encounter, indicating this remained unchanged from the 2014 levels.
The survey further revealed a disparity based on socioeconomic status: 33% of teens from poorer families reported not using either protection or sexual contraception, compared to 25% of youth of a wealthier economic background.
The director of W.H.O Europe noted that many countries are failing to provide age-appropriate comprehensive sexual education furthermore, pointing out that in places where such education is available, it has faced increasing criticism and opposition with accusations that it promotes sexual behavior among youth.
The W.H.O reports that lacking sexual education also raises healthcare costs, besides leading to increased rates of STIs and unplanned pregnancies.
