In 2023, cases of syphilis and gonorrhea—two of the most frequent sexually transmitted diseases—in Europe surged dramatically as compared to prior years. This is a condition that disproportionately affects young people, particularly women aged 20 to 24, and is also prevalent in Italy. Barbara Suligoi of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (National Institute of Health) affirms in an interview with 'Il Post' that "the issue of the transmission of sexually transmitted infections among young people is undeniable and a cause for concern. The findings reveal an increase even among the extremely young, those under the age of 24". This is partly attributable to the growing number of screening programs for these diseases, which has resulted in a higher number of diagnoses. However, other factors that contribute to this phenomenon include a general reluctance among younger individuals to use condoms, which are the only contraceptive that also protects against disease transmission. Between 2014 and 2022, the percentage of European adolescents who used a condom during their previous sexual experience fell for both males (70 to 61 %) and females (63 to 57 %). In Italy, Suligoi confirms that “there is certainly an issue linked to the fact that young people use condoms very little”: national data from 2022 show, among 15-year-olds, a steady decline since 2010.