Condom Use by Adolescents

Rates of sexual activity, pregnancies, and births among adolescents have continued to decline during the past decade to historic lows. Despite these positive trends, many adolescents remain at risk for unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This policy statement has been de...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pediatrics (Evanston) 2013-11, Vol.132 (5), p.973-981
Main Authors: O’Brien, Rebecca F., Warner, Lee, Blythe, Margaret J., Adelman, William P., Breuner, Cora C., Levine, David A., Marcell, Arik V., Murray, Pamela J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Condoms
General aspects
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus
Medical sciences
Pediatrics
Pregnancy
Prevention and actions
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Sexual behavior
Sexually transmitted diseases
STD
Teenagers
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Summary:Rates of sexual activity, pregnancies, and births among adolescents have continued to decline during the past decade to historic lows. Despite these positive trends, many adolescents remain at risk for unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This policy statement has been developed to assist the pediatrician in understanding and supporting the use of condoms by their patients to prevent unintended pregnancies and STIs and address barriers to their use. When used consistently and correctly, male latex condoms reduce the risk of pregnancy and many STIs, including HIV. Since the last policy statement published 12 years ago, there is an increased evidence base supporting the protection provided by condoms against STIs. Rates of acquisition of STIs/HIV among adolescents remain unacceptably high. Interventions that increase availability or accessibility to condoms are most efficacious when combined with additional individual, small-group, or community-level activities that include messages about safer sex. Continued research is needed to inform public health interventions for adolescents that increase the consistent and correct use of condoms and promote dual protection of condoms for STI prevention with other effective methods of contraception.
ISSN:0031-4005
1098-4275
DOI:10.1542/peds.2013-2821