Celebrating National Condom Week

National Condom Week 2023 is February 14-21! Ongoing since 1978, this week is dedicated to raising awareness for safe and protected sex. Fact Forward is honoring National Condom Week by encouraging conversation between young people and their trusted adults about safer sex and STI prevention. 

According to Healthline, from 2007-2017, the usage of condoms among the US high school population decreased from 62% to 54%. As reported by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control in 2019,  SC has been ranked in the top 10 states with the highest STI rates in the country for several years.

Studies show that condoms are 98% effective if used each time correctly. Condoms not only help protect against STIs but also help protect against pregnancies. They help other methods of birth control work better as well. If you're unsure how to start the conversation about safer sex with the young people in your life, check our resources to learn more: https://www.factforward.org/resources/parents/talk-about-protection.

Resources
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/why-are-so-many-teens-ditching-condoms
https://www.innerbody.com/std-testing/std-statistics-by-state