WHO: Young people in Europe use condoms less often

This exposes young people to a "significant risk of sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies".

The data comes from a survey of 242,000 young people aged 15 in 42 of the 53 countries in the WHO European Region, including Central Asia. According to the data, it shows that the proportion of sexually active boys who used a condom the last time they had sex fell from 70% in 2014 to 61% in 2022. For girls, the figure fell from 63% to 57%.

Almost a third of young people stated that they had not used a condom or the pill the last time they had sex. This is roughly the same as in 2018. Use of the pill remained fairly stable in 2022 compared to 2014. 26% of 15-year-olds stated that they had used it the last time they had sex.

Condom use in Switzerland

At the time of the survey in 2022, around 22% of 15-year-old male adolescents in Switzerland did not use a condom during their last sexual intercourse. In comparison, Switzerland was among those countries where this contraceptive was used more frequently. In Sweden, on the other hand, 43% stated that they had not used a condom.

Among girls of the same age in Switzerland, 28% did not use a condom during their last sexual intercourse. 77% of girls of this age also stated that they did not use a contraceptive pill.

WHO Europe Director Hans Kluge criticized the fact that age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education continues to be neglected in many countries. According to the WHO, inadequate sexuality education not only leads to higher rates of sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies, but also to higher healthcare costs and impaired educational and career paths for young people.