Making Condoms 'Sexy' and Focusing on Pleasure Is Key to Effectively Teach About Safe Sex, New Study Says

The most effective way to teach people about safe sex and in effect possibly prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases is to make condoms “sexy” and focus on sexual pleasure, and not solely focus on safety, researchers said in the journal PLOS One on Friday. 

When researchers from the University of Oxford and the World Health Organization reviewed different sexual health education programs, they found those programs that emphasized pleasure saw the rate of condom use “significantly improve." 

Despite the billions of dollars that have been put towards programs and services that promote sexual health, the researchers explained in their study, that sexual pleasure, the “key driver of why people have sex,” has not been adequately addressed, despite its positive benefits, CBS News reported.

The research was done with different groups in the U.S., Spain and Brazil involving men who have sex with men, and with teenagers and young adults in sexual health classes.

Based on their findings, researchers saw an improvement in the majority of programs that discussed sexual pleasure in the context of an individual’s behavior, such as, “condoms use as sexy and fun” and “using lubrication to enhance sexual pleasure.” 

More than 1 million sexually transmitted infections are contracted each day, according to the World Health Organization, 

Most cases are asymptomatic, which can possibly lead to long-term issues including the risk of HIV, as well as fetal and birth complications.

The best way to prevent the spread and contraction of STDs is to always wear a condom during sex, the agency said. 

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