The World Health Organization (WHO) in Europe has lamented a decline in condom use among teenagers in recent years, warning of risks of infection and unwanted pregnancy in countries from Canada to Asia.
The findings are contained in the latest WHO/Europe report on health behaviour in school-aged children and are based on surveys of almost a quarter of a million 15-year-olds in 42 countries between 2014 and 2022.
“While results vary widely across countries and regions, the most important trend observed since the 2014 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey is a decline in condom use among sexually active 15-year-olds in some countries and regions,” said Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, in the foreword to the report.