Young people act very responsibly when it comes to contraception – this applies to girls as well as boys, reports Rat auf Draht
Vienna (OTS) – Young people take contraception seriously and show a greater sense of responsibility than before. This is shown by the counseling sessions on the Rat auf Draht emergency number 147. “Young people today think a lot about contraception in general and which contraceptive would be best for them,” says Birgit Satke, head of the emergency number 147. In 2023, 259 counseling sessions were explicitly about this topic, compared to 240 the year before.
Contraception among adolescents is not just a women’s issue
It is striking that both girls/young women and boys/young men are equally concerned with contraception: last year, 128 female and 130 male callers, as well as one diverse person, called in. “If you look at the last few years, it was usually more boys who were looking for advice and information on contraception,” says Satke.
They are looking for in-depth information: The young people are not only interested in what types of contraceptives are available, but also how they work, where they are available, how much they cost and how exactly they should be used. Contraception problems and pregnancy are also a recurring topic.
Young people rely on condoms
In general, contraception is always a very individual matter and depends heavily on age, says Satke. “Every contraceptive has advantages and disadvantages. Many young people use condoms because they are the only common contraceptive that not only protects against pregnancy, but also against the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases,” says the expert. They can also be combined with other contraceptives (the pill, contraceptive patch, etc.), which increases protection. Furthermore, their easy availability – you can find them in every drugstore, every pharmacy and almost every supermarket – is very practical, especially for young people. When it comes to hormonal contraceptives, the advisory team always points out that they require a prescription and recommends detailed advice and information from a gynecologist.
In addition, Rat auf Draht offers a comprehensive collection of information articles on the topic of contraception:
prevention
Contraceptive methods
Contraception lies
The morning-after pill
Condoms – The correct use
Inquiries & Contact:
Mag. (FH) Oliver Bayer
Head of External Communication
Rat auf Draht non-profit GmbH
Handy: +43(0)699/18814385
Oliver.Bayer@rataufdraht.at
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