WHO raises concern over 'worrying' decline in condom use among European teens

Condom use

among

sexually active teens

has majorly declined in Europe over the past decade, with a notable drop in the rates of protected sex, according to a recent report by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
"This is putting young people at significant risk of sexually transmitted infections (

STIs

) and

unplanned pregnancies

," WHO Europe said in a statement.

The WHO stresses the importance of comprehensive

sexuality education

and warns that the situation could worsen without immediate action from governments, health authorities, and educators.
A survey conducted among more than 242,000 15-year-olds across 42 of the 53 countries in the WHO European region, which includes Central Asia, revealed a worrying trend.

The proportion of sexually active teenage boys who used a condom during their last sexual encounter dropped from 70 percent in 2014 to 61 percent in 2022. For girls, the figure fell from 63 to 57 percent over the same period.
Moreover, almost one-third of adolescents reported using neither a condom or contraceptive pills during their last intercourse, a figure largely unchanged since 2018.
The use of contraceptive pills remained relatively stable between 2014 and 2022, with 26 per cent of 15-year-olds indicating that they or their partner had used the pill the last time they had sex.

The report highlighted socioeconomic disparities in contraceptive use. Teens from low-income families were more likely to forgo using either a condom or a

contraceptive pill

, with 33 percent reporting using neither during their last intercourse, compared to 25 percent from more affluent families.
"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 behaviour," WHO Europe director Hans Kluge said.
"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," he added.
The WHO warned that inadequate sexuality education could lead to higher rates of STIs and unplanned pregnancies, which in turn result in increased healthcare costs and disrupted education and career paths for young people.
"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," the agency stated.
The WHO has urged policymakers, educators, and healthcare providers to invest in comprehensive sexuality education, improve access to sexual health services, promote dialogue, and better train educators.