WHO Europe laments declining rates of condom use among sexually active teens worldwide
The World Health Organization’s office for Europe is decrying a decline in condom use by adolescents in recent years
GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization's office for Europe on Thursday decried a decline in condom use by adolescents in recent years, warning of risks of infection and unplanned pregnancies in countries from Canada to central Asia.
The findings come in the latest report by WHO Europe on health behavior in school-age children and were drawn from surveys of nearly a quarter-million 15-year-olds across 42 countries between 2014 and 2022.
“While results varied widely across the countries and regions, the most important observed trend since the (health behavior in school-age children survey) in 2014 is of declines in some countries and regions in condom use among sexually active 15-year-olds," said Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO Europe regional director, in a preface to the report.
He said the results, which also examined use of the contraceptive pill, were “dismaying” but “not surprising,” in light of neglected sexuality education in many countries. WHO and the authors urged decision-makers to do more to improve it.
