HOW OFTEN DO YOU USE A CONDOM?

33% of sexually active Canadian youth reported they never wore a condom during sex in the last 6 months.

In light of our previous research on condom use, this trend is concerning. Most alarming, is the dramatic decline in the percentage of youth who reported wearing condoms “all the time” during sex, from 53% in 2020 to 23% in 2023. This means frequent condom use by Canadian youth during sex dropped by more than half in three years since the start of the pandemic. Which means that, while 38% of youth reported infrequent condom use during sex in 2020, that number has increased by almost 20% in 2023, ultimately tipping the scale so that most young Canadians are now reporting casual condom use.

While the answers may not be too surprising, more qualitative studies into why people do not like to wear condoms could help unpack these results. For example, given the advancement of condom technology so that many brands offer “ultra-thin,” “barely there” or ‘like skin” style condoms, the “it’s uncomfortable” or “doesn’t feel like real sex” reasons do not seem to hold water anymore.

Perhaps, young people are not well educated about the different sizes of condoms (there is small, regular, large and extra-large) because if the condom is too big it will slip off and too small can cause it to break. Or they are not empowered to try different condoms to understand the best ones for them. Liam* from Victoria shared, “I wish they taught us that condoms were measured by length as well as girth, because I used to wear condoms that were not the right girth and lose my erections, causing me a lot of embarrassment and a desire not to want to wear them”. Thus, more in-depth education about something as essential as condoms is important because the wrong size condom can impact protection, infection, birth control, and comfort. Most studies on this topic in Canada, like our survey, don't delve into individuals' deeper and more personal experiences. So, there is room for more investigation.

The

percentage

Of Youth Who Reported Wearing Condoms

“All the Time” during sex went from 53% in 2020 to 23% in 2023.

Condoms

Young Canadians, being a particularly at-risk population for STIs and HIV, may have a misguided primary association of condoms mainly as a birth control method. Thus, these results are important for policymakers, public health officials, educators, and NGOs to understand so that Sex-Ed and other sexual health programs can be focused more specifically to address the root problems of why condom use among young Canadians has decreased post-pandemic.

Next, while not many people reported “I felt pressured not to use a condom” (3%) or that they were “under the influence of alcohol and substances” as the reason for the lack of condom use, one survey participant wrote under “Other” that “the condom ‘fell off’”. It is important to note that in Canada there is a new law regarding consent around condom use. In July 2022, the Supreme Court of Canada (1) ruled that sex with a condom is a fundamentally different physical act than sex without one, and that the use of a condom can be condition of consent under sexual assault law.

“Why do you and your partner(s) not use condoms?”

My partner(s) or I don’t like using condoms

Other prevention methods were used

22% 19% 16%

13% 12%

There was no risk of pregnancy

I don’t like using condoms

My partner(s) and I have been tested for STIs and HIV