WHO Europe alarm: ‘Less and fewer adolescents use condoms, only 6 out of 10’ – Lifestyle – Ansa.it

Over the past ten years, condom use among adolescents across Europe has decreased alarmingly. Only six out of 10 15-year-olds said they used it in the latest report Meanwhile, the risk of sexually transmitted diseases, including those that can cause cancer , has increased, as well as unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions. . The alarm is raised by the new report from the European Regional Office of the World Health Organization, which was carried out as part of the study Health Behavior in School-Age Children.

Researchers interviewed more than 242,000 15-year-olds in 42 countries. Between 2014 and 2022, the percentage of adolescents who used a condom during last intercourse fell from 70% to 61% among boys and from 63% to 57% among girls. Teenagers from low-income families were more likely to say they had not used a condom or contraceptive pill during their last sexual intercourse compared to their more affluent peers (33% versus 25% ).

Compared to 2014 levels, the decline in condom use is widespread and spans several countries and regions, with some experiencing more dramatic declines than others.

The report highlights “the urgent need for targeted interventions to address these worrying trends and promote safer sexual practices among young people.”

“Age-appropriate sexuality education – observed Hans Henri Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe – is still neglected in many countries and, where it is available, has been given more attacked in recent years for promoting sexual behaviour. . and worse is coming.”