WHO Warns Of Decline Of Condom Use Among Teens

An urgent report from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Office for Europe highlights a troubling decline in condom use among sexually active adolescents throughout European countries since 2014, with alarmingly high rates of unprotected sex.

According to WHO’s report, published Aug. 29, health officials are concerned about a significant number of sexually active 15-year-olds who are engaging in unprotected sex. The WHO cautions that this behavior can lead to serious consequences for young people, such as unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and a heightened risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The widespread incidence of unprotected sex points to critical deficiencies in age-appropriate sexuality education and access to effective contraceptive methods.

“While the report’s findings are dismaying, they are not surprising,” Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, shared in a statement. “Age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education remains neglected in many countries, and where it is available, it has increasingly come under attack in recent years on the false premise that it encourages sexual behavior when the truth is that equipping young persons with the right knowledge at the right time leads to optimal health outcomes linked to responsible behavior and choices.”

The WHO found the shocking data by analyzing a comprehensive Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study based on information collected from over 242,000 15-year-olds across 42 countries and regions in Europe between 2014 and 2022.

Close-Up Of Condom And Pills Over White Background – Source: EyeEm Mobile GmbH / Getty

Here is the data.

The report revealed a troubling decline in condom use among sexually active adolescents from 2014 to 2022, with usage dropping from 70% to 61% among boys and from 63% to 57% among girls. Despite this, nearly one-third of adolescents (30%) reported not using any form of contraception, including condoms or the pill, during their last sexual encounter, a figure that has remained largely unchanged since 2018.

The data also highlighted socioeconomic disparities, with adolescents from lower-income families more likely to engage in unprotected sex compared to their more affluent peers (33% vs. 25%). Meanwhile, the use of the contraceptive pill has stayed relatively consistent, with 26% of 15-year-olds indicating that they or their partners used it during their last sexual activity.

Dr. Kluge emphasized the need for “immediate” action to tackle the issue, warning that failure to act could lead to increased rates of STIs and rising healthcare costs, among other significant challenges.

 “We are reaping the bitter fruit of these reactionary efforts, with worse to come, unless governments, health authorities, the education sector, and other essential stakeholders truly recognize the root causes of the current situation and take steps to rectify it. We need immediate and sustained action, underpinned by data and evidence, to halt this cascade of negative outcomes, including the likelihood of higher STI rates, increased healthcare costs, and – not least – disrupted education and career paths for young persons who do not receive the timely information and support they need,” the WHO official added.

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