More teen males using condoms

The percentage of teen males aged 15–19 years in the United States who used a condom the first time they had sex increased between 2002 and 2006–2010, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The report, “ Teenagers in the United States: Sexual Activity, Contraceptive Use, and Childbearing, 2006–2010 National Survey of Family Growth,” from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, found that 8 in 10 teen males used a condom at first sex, an increase of 9 percentage points from 2002. The study also found that 16 percent of teen males used a condom in combination with a female partner’s hormonal method, a 6 percentage point increase from 2002.

Other findings include:

In 2006–2010, about 43 percent of never–married female teens (4.4 million), and about 42 percent of never–married male teens (4.5 million) had had sexual intercourse at least once (were sexually experienced). These levels of sexual experience have not changed significantly from 2002, though over the past 20 years there has been a decline in the percentages of those who were sexually experienced.

Seventy–eight percent of females and 85 percent of males used a method of contraception at first sex. With a few exceptions, teenagers′ use of contraceptives has changed little since 2002, and the condom remained the most commonly used method. 

One exception was an increase among males in the use of condoms and in dual use--the use of a condom combined with a partner’s use of hormonal contraceptive at first sex. 

Another exception was a significant increase in the percent of female teenagers who used hormonal methods other than the pill, such as injectables and the contraceptive patch, at first sex. Six percent of teen females used a non–pill hormonal method at first sex in the latest survey compared to 2 percent in 2002.

Despite long term improvements in pregnancy risk behaviors among teens, differences still exist among Hispanic origin and race groups. Non–Hispanic black males have the highest percentages who are sexually experienced, and Hispanic males have the highest percentages using no contraceptive method at last sex.

The report is available at:Â www.cdc.gov/nchs.

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES