Over a decade, the percentage of teenagers who used condoms in sexual relations dropped in Brazilian metropolises, according to an analysis released this Wednesday (13) by the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics).
The survey in question evaluates indicators of the historical series of the PeNSE (National School Health Survey), which covers the period from 2009 to 2019. The published data cover students in the 9th year of elementary school (formerly the 8th grade) in public and private schools in the capitals.
From 2009 to 2019, among young people who had already started their sexual life, the percentage who reported using condoms in their last intercourse dropped from 72.5% to 59%.
“This is a result that expresses concern, as the trend is in a direction that indicates greater exposure to risks,” says the analysis, which draws attention to the threats of sexually transmitted diseases and cases of early pregnancy.
“In fact, there is a need to expand and/or strengthen actions to guide adolescents to safer sexual practices”, he adds.
Among girls, the percentage who reported using condoms in relationships with partners dropped from 69.1% to 53.5% between 2009 and 2019. In the case of boys, the decrease was from 74.1% to 62.8% in the same period.
PeNSE has already had four editions: 2009, 2012, 2015 and 2019. The percentage of use of some pregnancy prevention method – condoms and others – also dropped. It went from 79.6% in 2012, the initial year of the series for this indicator, to 69.6% in 2019.
The reduction was more pronounced among students from public schools (from 79.5% to 69.1%) than among young people from private institutions (from 80.3% to 72.3%).
The analysis points out that the 9th grade of elementary school brings together 90% of students aged 13 to 15 years, “a period in which sexual initiation has taken place for most boys and girls”.
In 2009, 27.9% of students at this level in the capitals had already had sex. In 2019, the percentage reached 28.5%.
Among girls, the share increased from 16.9% to 22.6%. In the case of boys, it dropped from 40.2% to 34.6% in the same range.
Cigarettes, alcohol and other drugs
The survey also brings other indicators on the health of adolescents, such as the consumption of tobacco, alcoholic beverages and other drugs.
The percentage of students in the 9th year of elementary school who smoked cigarettes at some point in their lives dropped from 22.9% to 21% between 2009 and 2019.
The share that tried alcohol grew from 52.9% in 2012 to 63.2% in 2019. This increase was more intense among girls. They went from 55% in 2012 to 67.4% in 2019. Among boys, the indicator jumped from 50.4% to 58.8% in the same period.
The percentage of 9th grade students who used other drugs at some point in their lives rose from 8.2% in 2009 to 12.1% in 2019.
The IBGE states that the analysis of the historical series has an experimental character, since the statistics are still in the test phase and under evaluation.
PeNSE is carried out by the institute in partnership with the Ministry of Health and with the support of the Ministry of Education.
The survey provides information collected directly from students through a self-administered electronic questionnaire.
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