The use of condoms by sexually active boys has dropped by 9 per cent since 2014, according to the latest WHO data.
ADVERTISEMENTA "worryingly high" proportion of European adolescents are having unprotected sex, raising the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancies, according to an "urgent" new report from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Published on Thursday, the report also found that there has been an "alarming decline" in the use of condoms by teenagers in Europe since 2014.
The proportion of sexually active 15-year-olds who used a condom during their last sexual encounter fell from 70 per cent to 61 per cent among boys between 2014 and 2022 and 63 per cent to 57 per cent among girls.
The difference in figures was attributed to boys being more likely than girls to report condom use at their last intercourse.
The rates of contraceptive pill use have, on the contrary, remained stable.
Over the same period, 26 per cent of 15-year-old girls reported using the pill the last time they had sex compared to 25 per cent of boys who said their partners had taken it.
The new data was released as part of the WHO’s Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study, which surveyed over 242,000 15-year-olds across 42 countries and regions over an 8-year period.
The study shows that the decline in condom use is "pervasive and spanning multiple countries and regions, with some experiencing more dramatic reductions than others," according to the WHO.
"While the report's findings are dismaying, they are not surprising," Dr Hans Kluge, the Regional Director for WHO Europe, said in a statement.
"Age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education remains neglected in many countries, and where it is available, it has increasingly come under attack in recent years on the false premise that it encourages sexual behaviour, when the truth is that equipping young persons with the right knowledge at the right time leads to optimal health outcomes linked to responsible behaviour and choices".
'Troubling surge' of STIs
Kluge concluded that Europe was now “reaping the bitter fruit of these reactionary efforts” to reduce or neglect sex education and restrict access to contraception.
Earlier this year, European health authorities warned of a "troubling surge" in the number of STI cases.
According to the most recent data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), gonorrhoea cases had risen by 48 per cent in 2022, instances of syphilis by 34 per cent, and chlamydia by 16 per cent when compared to the previous year.
If left untreated, gonorrhoea and chlamydia can cause health complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease, pain, and infertility. Syphilis can be life-threatening and cause issues with the brain such as fits, memory loss, and dementia.
The newly published WHO report has underlined the "importance of providing comprehensive sexual health education and resources for young people," its authors noted.
ADVERTISEMENT"Comprehensive sexuality education is key to closing these gaps and empowering all young people to make informed decisions about sex at a particularly vulnerable moment in their lives, as they transition from adolescence to adulthood," said Dr András Költő, a psychologist at the University of Galway in Ireland and the lead author of the HBSC report.
"Ultimately, what we are seeking to achieve for young persons is a solid foundation for life and love," Kluge added.
"Sexual and reproductive health and rights, informed by the right knowledge at the right time along with the right health and well-being services at the right time, is critical".
