BACKGROUND: Approaches to implementing online record access (ORA) via patient portals for minors and guardians vary internationally, as more countries continue to develop patient-accessible electronic health records (PAEHR) systems. Evidence of ORA usage and country-specific practices to allow or block minors\' and guardians\' access to minors\' records during adolescence (i.e. access control practices) may provide a broader understanding of possible approaches and their implications for minors\' confidentiality and guardian support.
OBJECTIVE: To describe and compare minors\' and guardian proxy users\' PAEHR usage in Sweden and Finland. Furthermore, to investigate the use of country-specific access control practices.
METHODS: A retrospective, observational case study was conducted. Data were collected from PAEHR administration services in Sweden and Finland and proportional use was calculated based on population statistics. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the results.
RESULTS: In both Sweden and Finland, the proportion of adolescents accessing their PAEHR increased from younger to older age-groups reaching the proportion of 59.9 % in Sweden and 84.8 % in Finland in the age-group of 17-year-olds. The PAEHR access gap during early adolescence in Sweden may explain the lower proportion of users among those who enter adulthood. Around half of guardians in Finland accessed their minor children\'s records in 2022 (46.1 %), while Swedish guardian use was the highest in 2022 for newborn children (41.8 %), and decreased thereafter. Few, mainly guardians, applied for extended access in Sweden. In Finland, where a case-by-case approach to access control relies on healthcare professionals\' (HCPs) consideration of a minor\'s maturity, 95.8 % of minors chose to disclose prescription information to their guardians.
CONCLUSIONS: While age-based access control practices can hamper ORA for minors and guardians, case-by-case approach requires HCP resources and careful guidance to ensure equality between patients. Guardians primarily access minors\' records during early childhood and adolescents show willingness to share their PAEHR with parents.

BACKGROUND: Motor third party insurance was established in Uganda in 1989 as a social policy to protect motorists and other road users (third parties) in the event of an accident. However, reports show that only a few motorists filed claims to their insurers for compensation despite being involved in road traffic accidents.
OBJECTIVE: To establish whether motorists\' awareness has an influence on the usage of motor third party insurance.
METHODS: This was a cross-sectional using both qualitative and qualitative methods. Data was collected from 384 motorists in Kampala district using structured and semi-structured questionnaires administered face-to-face. We also collected data from key informants (insurers, insurance regulators as well as enforcers - traffic police officers); and carried out desk review of motor third party insurance documents in Uganda.
RESULTS: The results showed that 8 out of 10 motorists in Kampala did not understand motor third party insurance with 95.3% having no knowledge of their rights as policy holders and 87.8% having no knowledge of their obligations when involved in an accident. Majority of the motorists involved in accidents never made claims to their insurers for compensation.
CONCLUSIONS: The level of awareness among motorists concerning motor third party insurance was low which significantly affected their ability to file claims to their insurers following an accident. We recommended that motorists and the general public be educated on third party motor insurance.