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Condoms have been around for an incredibly long time, and as such, they have worked hard to prevent pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. However, there is some indication that more and more people are not opting to use them. This research seems to indicate that the older generation is less likely to use condoms.
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This study comes courtesy of Jonathan Bearak, a PHD at New York University. He analyzed condom usage among students at the university. He found that the older a student was at university, the less likely they were to use condoms. Basically, those in their freshman year would probably use condoms, whereas those in their senior year would not.
This study looked at 20 different schools in the United States and asked a number of students about condom usage. It discovered that the chances of engaging in unprotected sex were 2.5 times higher in the senior year than in the freshman year.
The study also looked beyond the age of the students it interviewed and into their background. Apparently, those who had a wealthy upbringing tended to be less likely to use condoms than those who came from a poorer background. However, over time, it was apparent that those from the poorer background tended to be influenced by the richer students. This resulted in less condom usage over time.
People who aren’t in college
There have actually been a number of studies that look at condom usage among those who are not in college. One study in 2012 discovered that 60% of teenagers who were sexually active were regularly using condoms. Now, for most people, this may actually seem like a rather low figure. It isn’t. In fact, condom usage among this demographic has actually risen over the years. A study in 1991 found that 46% of teenagers used a condom. Most people indicated that it was down to a reduction in pleasure.
An increase in condom technology has, most likely, had an influence on this in recent years, with many condoms out there having little to no impact on the pleasure of a person.
After the ‘young years’
Now, you would think that as a person gets older, they are going to become a lot more responsible when it comes to condom usage. This isn’t actually true. Some studies suggest that those over the age of forty are the group that is less likely to use condoms.
This study also discovered that 90% of males over the age of 50 would not use a condom. The majority of women over this age would not use a condom either. However, this is due to them believing that pregnancy is of a much lower risk.
That being said, the risk of suffering from an STD would be a whole lot higher. Ultimately, lack of condom use has been blamed on the fact that sex education for this age group was not all that brilliant compared to what children are experiencing nowadays.
