United Kingdom: Teenagers Using Condoms Incorrectly

Many sexually active English teens do not use condoms properly, according to new research led by Roger Ingham and colleagues at University of Southampton's Center for Public Health Research.

Of almost 1,400 teens ages 16-18 surveyed by researchers, about half had had sex. On the most recent occasion, 373 had used a condom, but 6 percent had put the condom on too late and 6 percent removed it too early.

Researchers asked over 100 teens to keep a journal of their sexual activity for six months, yielding 714 entries, for which a condom was reported as not being used 322 times. But among the 74 teens who said they had used a condom, 31 percent reported it had been unrolled after penetration, and 10 percent removed it too early at least once.

Reasons to use a condom included to avoid pregnancy or "making a mess" and to prolong sex. The most frequent reasons for not using a condom were to improve intimacy and sexual stimulation, because other contraception was being used, or because they were overexcited. Few cited STD prevention as a reason they used a condom.

Boys who were able to communicate openly with their mothers during their early teen years were more likely to use condoms correctly, researchers discovered.

Toni Belfield of the Family Planning Association said, "We would urge parents and [caregivers] to be open about sex and relationships with their children, so they can be a source of guidance for them."

"If we are to see a reduction in sexually transmitted infection prevalence, it is essential that young people understand the importance of using condoms consistently and correctly, and are also equipped with the skills and knowledge to do so," concluded researchers.

The report, "How, Not Just If, Condoms Are Used: The Timing of Condom Application and Removal During Vaginal Sex Among Young People in England," was published August 10 ahead of print in Sexually Transmitted Infections Online (2006:doi:10.1136/sti.2006.021410).

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