Condoms and STIs in Young Canadian Adults

Condoms are among the most widely available barrier methods in Canada. They are sold in pharmacies, grocery stores and vending machines, and are also distributed through public health units and many campus health services.

Interest in condom use among university and college students comes up regularly in public health discussion, partly because young adults report the highest rates of several common infections.

What condoms do and do not cover

External and internal condoms act as a physical barrier. They lower the chance of pregnancy and reduce transmission of infections spread through fluids, including chlamydia, gonorrhea and HIV.

Protection is less complete for infections spread by skin-to-skin contact, such as herpes and human papillomavirus, because the barrier does not cover every area of contact. Health agencies describe condoms as one tool among several, alongside vaccination, testing and other contraception.

How infections are tracked

Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are reportable in Canada, meaning laboratories and clinicians pass cases to provincial and territorial health authorities. The Public Health Agency of Canada compiles these reports into national surveillance summaries.

Chlamydia is the most frequently reported of the three. Reported rates are usually highest among people in their late teens and twenties, though reporting also reflects how much testing takes place, which varies by region.

What surveys of students describe

Organizations such as the Sex Information and Education Council of Canada, a national non-profit focused on sexual health research and education, have surveyed post-secondary students about their sexual behaviour. Findings of this kind typically show that a sizeable share of students have not had intercourse in a given period, and that self-reported condom use differs by partner type.

Condom use is generally reported more often with new or casual partners than within long-term relationships, where other contraception may be used instead. Surveys also note factors linked to lower use, including alcohol, cost, access and perceived risk.

Why the topic draws attention

Rising reported rates of bacterial infections over a decade have prompted debate about testing access, sex education and stigma. Some researchers point to changes in screening, while others point to shifts in behaviour, and the two explanations are not mutually exclusive.