The WHO is raising the alarm about the risk of increasing sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies among adolescents in Europe. According to experts, the reason for this is the alarming decline in the use of protective measures among this age group.
New report reveals high levels of unprotected sex among teenagers across Europe, with important implications for health and safety.
The Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children Study, which surveyed over 242 000-year-olds in 15 European countries, finds that condom and pill use among sexually active adolescents has fallen sharply since 42, with rates of unprotected sex worryingly high.
The report highlights that a significant portion of sexually active 15-year-olds are engaging in unprotected sex.
The high prevalence of unprotected sex indicates significant gaps in comprehensive, appropriate sexual education for adolescents, including sexual health education and access to contraceptive methods.
The report highlights that the percentage of sexually active adolescents who used a condom in their last intercourse fell from 70% to 61% among boys and 63% to 57% among girls from 2014 to 2022.
Adolescents from low-income families were more likely to report not using condoms or birth control pills during sexual intercourse than their peers from wealthier families.
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