A recent study by Austrian health company Gynial has cast an alarming light on what young people in particular know — or rather, do not know — about contraception and sexually transmitted infections. The occasion was World Contraception Day on 26 September 2025, for which the company examined the information landscape among Austrian adolescents and young adults. The findings are striking: many feel insufficiently informed, and responsibility for contraception remains very unevenly distributed.
Contraception is still seen as a women’s issue
The study reveals that 37% of the young people surveyed believe contraception is solely a woman’s responsibility. This finding illustrates just how wide the knowledge gap in this age group is — and the consequences it can have, particularly for young women. At the same time, only 69% of young people in relationships say they discuss contraception regularly, and just 36% talk to their parents about it.
Oliver Bannert, Managing Director of Gynial Austria, commented on the findings: “The results among young people are concerning and highlight just how important comprehensive education is. We all share a responsibility to help young people develop a conscious and responsible approach to their health. This calls for a stronger commitment to public awareness.”
Testing behaviour and risk awareness
The study also reveals significant gaps in testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Only 22% of young people get tested regularly, while 54% have never been tested at all. At the same time, 13% of respondents have previously tested positive for an STI. These figures suggest that a substantial proportion of young people are taking risks without adequate precautions.
Particularly concerning is the fact that condom use is still far from universal: 59% of young people have had unprotected sex without a negative test result from their partner, 26% do not use a condom with new sexual partners, and 27% have been persuaded by a partner to forgo one. A clear gender divide is apparent here: men report experiencing less satisfaction during sex with a condom, which further contributes to condom avoidance.
Gender roles and the question of cost
The study also uncovers a striking imbalance in responsibility: 79% of women would like men to take more responsibility for contraception. Yet 56% of young women still bear the majority of contraceptive costs, while only 38% share these costs fairly with their partner. Meanwhile, approximately one in six men says he does not know — or does not want to know — how his partner is contracepting. A further 28% of men deflect responsibility onto women because they do not see it as their own.
A false sense of being informed
Despite being considerably less well-informed across many areas of contraception, men are more likely to feel adequately prepared: 43% of men believe they learned enough about sex education and contraception at school, compared to just 37% of women. A further misconception emerges around HPV: 18% of men incorrectly assume that HPV can only affect women.
Oliver Bannert summarises: “Contraception concerns all of us. Too often, men abdicate responsibility — even though they would benefit from being better informed and more involved. The right contraceptive method gives everyone involved, women and men alike, security and freedom. At Gynial, the well-being of women is our priority. That is why we are committed to education that lightens the load for women and actively brings men into the conversation.”
A clear need for better education
The study’s findings make clear that there remains a significant need for better contraceptive and STI education among young people in Austria. Responsibility must be more evenly shared if young people are to approach their sexual health in a more conscious and safer way. The Gynial data sends an unambiguous message: to reduce the burden on women and minimise risk, public education and open discussion about contraception must be strengthened further — and men must be brought meaningfully and actively into the conversation.
