Young people used to have a lot of sex. For decades, public health campaigns have tried to urge younger people to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections by encouraging regular testing and consistent condom use.
Are you worried about STDs? Don’t leave your sexual health to chance.
But times are changing.
Younger people are having less sex. This phenomenon is complex and driven by a spectrum of forcesincluding increasing social individuation and isolation, reliance on digital technology to build relationships, changing attitudes and fears about sex and consent, a focus on professional and educational development, and fears of unwanted pregnancy.
So you’d think a generation plagued by fear of the consequences of sex would be more likely to use contraception. But this is not the case.
New research has found that consistent condom use is declining among adolescents and young adults in the US and Canada.
Surveys of sexually active high school students conducted by the CDC found that condom use dropped by about 7 percent. Young women have increasingly turned to birth control pills, morning-after pills and IUDs to prevent pregnancy. Men who have sex with men are also using condoms less often as fears of HIV have also decreased.
It’s not all bad news. In the US, Rates of STDs have declined among 18-24 year oldsand Teen births also hit record lows in 2023.
However, reduced condom use is a concern. And it’s not just a North American phenomenon.
The UK has seen sharp increase in the number of cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis in people aged 15-24. In addition, the WHO Regional Office for Europe recently released a report highlighting the sharp decline in condom use among teenagers and the high rate of sexual contact that takes place without any form of contraception.
Why is this happening?
The reasons for this reduced condom use are multifaceted and complex. Here are some reasons why younger people use condoms less often.
Economic inequality
The WHO Regional Office for Europe reports that condom use correlates with socioeconomic status. Adolescents from low-income families were more likely to report not using a condom or birth control pill during their last sexual intercourse than their peers from affluent families (33% vs. 25%).
Sexual education
Sex education remains a major barrier to imparting safe sex practices to young people.
In the US, there are no federal standards for sex education, leaving state governments to decide what is taught. In states like Mississippi, condom displays are banned. Many conservative groups and advocates believe that teaching abstinence until marriage should be the focus of sex education rather than teaching children how to have safe sex.
The WHO report also highlights the need for higher quality sexuality education and improved access. More countries need to do more to help young people access useful information, safe spaces to talk about sexuality and consent, and life skills to help young people make choices around sex that could affect their rest of their lives.
Access to reproductive health
In the US, access to abortion has become more restricted since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. Fears of not being able to access these services in some parts of the country may lead some women to forego sex altogether.
Medicines that prevent sexually transmitted infections
In recent years, strides have been made in providing drugs to help prevent and treat STDs.
Most STDs can be treated with drugs and others can be managed with therapy. Discovery with drugs such as PEP (for HIV), DoxyPEP (for broader STD protection) and the morning-after pill may have fostered a false sense of security among sexually active individuals that the risks associated with unprotected sex can be easily resolved.
Social pressure
Many young people forgo condoms because they can make sex less pleasurable. It is common for men to insist on not using condoms during sex, leading to an increased risk for both parties for unwanted pregnancies and STDs.
Why you should use condoms
While this trend is indeed worrisome, it is not something that cannot be reversed. Here are several reasons why condoms are still a vital part of anyone’s sexual health strategy.
They help prevent STDs
The best way to avoid getting an STD is to remain abstinent. The next best way is to use condoms.
Condoms create a natural barrier between the genitals of both participants and their mucous membranes, preventing the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms.
Using a condom during sex isn’t a guarantee that you won’t get an STD, but it’s the next best thing. Several studies have shown that, when used correctly and consistently,Condoms provide about 90% protection against infections such as HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea and hepatitis B.
Prevent pregnancy
When used correctly and consistently, male condoms prevent unwanted pregnancies 98% of the time.
Final thoughts
If you are a sexually active person and are concerned about the possibility of contracting an STD, you should use condoms consistently.
But if you think you may have been exposed to an STD, even if you did or didn’t use a condom, you should get tested for STDs.
Make an appointment at a sexual health clinic near you by clicking the button below. You can also test at home with one of the trusted Better2Know Home test kit.
Don’t leave your sexual health to chance. Get tested today with Better2Know.
