--- title: Couples In Committed Relationships Less Likely To Use Condoms description: A new study finds that couples in serious relationships only regularly use condoms 14 percent of the time, compared to 33.5 percent in more casual relationships. Researchers also find that regular condom use declines as people are together longer canonical: https://time.com/20255/study-committed-couples-use-condoms-less-often/ author: Alexandra Sifferlin article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-03-11T21:15:34.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T08:54:59.717Z article:section: Health og:title: Couples in serious relationships are less likely to use condoms, study says og:description: A new study finds that couples in serious relationships only regularly use condoms 14 percent of the time, compared to 33.5 percent in more casual relationships. Researchers also find that regular condom use declines as people are together longer og:url: https://time.com/20255/study-committed-couples-use-condoms-less-often/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt46b2c66cb14c38ff/698684f1810bbb6245c906b4/127545597-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5139 og:image:height: 2891 og:image:alt: 127545597 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Couples in serious relationships are less likely to use condoms, study says twitter:description: A new study finds that couples in serious relationships only regularly use condoms 14 percent of the time, compared to 33.5 percent in more casual relationships. Researchers also find that regular condom use declines as people are together longer twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt46b2c66cb14c38ff/698684f1810bbb6245c906b4/127545597-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Study: Committed Couples Use Condoms Less Often > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Health Matters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Health Matters is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The latest health news and expert advice on living well. Health Matters makes the fast-moving world of health more useful, surprising and human, from the latest science and medical breakthroughs to practical ideas for living better. 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It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on. #### Is Health Matters free? Yes. Health Matters is a free daily newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters. #### Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter? Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Mar 11, 2014 9:15 PM UTC  Close up of colorful condoms Close up of colorful condoms Sporrer/Rupp—Getty Images/Cultura RF by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Mar 11, 2014 9:15 PM UTC Couples in committed relationships are less than committed to using condoms. According to a new study, couples in casual relationships regularly used condoms only 33.5% of the time, and only 14% of the time in serious relationships. Dutch researchers surveyed 2,144 men and women, and asked them about their sexual activities with their four most recent sexual partners. They found that condom use among heterosexual couples is influenced more by the type of relationship they have than other factors such as gender. Irregular condom use was more common as relationships progressed and people were together for longer periods. Interestingly, the more highly-sexed couples were, the less likely they were to use condoms, whether in serious or casual relationships. For instance, couples who experimented with sex acts like sex-related drug use and anal sex were more likely to report irregular condom use. Couples of the same ethnicity were also less likely to use condoms. The researchers believe that public health messaging for condom use could improve by focusing on what type of couples are less likely to use them, Reuters [reports](http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/11/us-couples-condom-idUSBREA2A18920140311). But the study was criticized for not defining the parameters of “irregular use.” The study is published in the journal, _Sexually Transmitted Infections_. \[[_Reuters_](http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/11/us-couples-condom-idUSBREA2A18920140311)\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/20255/study-committed-couples-use-condoms-less-often/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/20255/study-committed-couples-use-condoms-less-often/"},"headline":"Study: Committed Couples Use Condoms Less Often","datePublished":"2014-03-11T21:15:34.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T08:54:59.717Z","description":"A new study finds that couples in serious relationships only regularly use condoms 14 percent of the time, compared to 33.5 percent in more casual relationships. 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