Examining young people’s attitudes to condoms and contraception

Brook recently surveyed over 2,000 young people to get a better understanding of their attitudes, behaviours and choices surrounding the use of condoms and contraception. On World Contraception Day, Research and Evaluation Manager, Jessica Winters, discusses why we decided to undertake this research and how the findings will inform our work. 

With STI rates hitting record highs in recent years, and 2021 seeing the highest rates of abortions since the introduction of the Abortion Act, there is a clear need for sexual and reproductive health organisations to think strategically about improving condom use and contraception. 

Alongside the national statistics around rising STI and abortion rates, Brook clinics have anecdotally reported a rejection of hormonal contraception by young people. We have seen this mirrored on social media with a growing popularity in discussions about rejecting hormones in favour of fertility apps.  

To help us delve deeper into this problem, our Participation Team ran a survey and conducted focus groups in Manchester.

This survey confirmed that some young people are worried about using hormonal methods and that many young people are using social media to get information about contraception.  

We decided a better understanding of young people’s attitudes, knowledge and use of condoms and contraception was essential both for Brook’s practice and for the wider policy space. So, in August of 2023, we launched a national survey which could give us deeper insight into these trends. 

Developing the survey 

Brook was inspired by the CONUNDRUM study conducted by researchers at the University of Glasgow. With their permission, we used the survey which they co-designed with young people as a starting point for developing ours. We are grateful for their openness and willingness to collaborate which enabled us to deliver this project at pace and in an informed and ethical manner.  

Our approach to this research was multidisciplinary and collaborative, drawing expertise from across Brook’s Research, Participation, Policy, and Communications and Digital teams. Using the survey from CONUNDRUM, we reviewed all questions to ensure that they made sense across England and Wales. As part of this process, we shared the survey with members of our participation forums to sense check the questions and get feedback on language.  

Emerging themes 

We had over 2,000 responses from young people between the ages of 16-24 across England and Wales.

They answered a range of questions relating to their sexual experiences, condom and contraception use and attitudes, and their experiences accessing services. 

One element that our survey explored was around information they received by healthcare professionals at their last appointment. Disappointingly, the majority of young people who responded didn’t feel they had received adequate or comprehensive information about contraception. 

One respondent said:

‘Other methods apart from the pill and condoms appear to rarely be suggested as a first option, you have to come up with the idea yourself and broach it with the doctor (e.g. getting the coil)’   

Young people also expressed dissatisfaction with the information they receive at school.

Relationships and sex education wasn’t seen to give young people the information they’re looking for when it comes to making choices about which contraceptive method to use. 

What’s next? 

Over the coming months, we will be conducting focus group discussions across England and Wales to hear directly from young people aged 18-22. These discussions will give us the opportunity to unpick some of our findings and gain a deeper understanding of where they get their information and how they come to trust it. 

Brook’s aim in doing this research was to better understand the trends we are seeing in our own delivery of services. We also wanted to better understand what is behind the national picture, which suggests a significant shift away from using condoms and contraception. 

Our survey findings highlight a stark need for better relationships and sex education.

High-quality relationships and sex education ensures young people are informed about the methods available and where they can get them. We also need increased funding for sexual and reproductive health services, so people can easily access the methods that are best for them. 

The emerging themes from the survey are already informing our practice and creating positive change:  

• This World Contraception Day we have launched a digital contraception tool, which suggests which methods of contraception might be best for the user based on a series of questions about their needs and preferences. 
• During SHW23 Brook launched our TikTok channel, with the aim of entering the spaces where young people’s contraceptive choices are influenced and providing trustworthy content that reflects and addresses their concerns. 
• We will share our learning with commissioners, public health experts and the SRH sector so that we can develop joined up approaches to improve health outcomes. 
• We are always working to ensure our clinical professionals are equipped to have more effective and nuanced conversations about contraception.