Parents in Norway experience difficulties when their children turn 16 and gain full control over their own health information, according to a study released on Mar. 11. The research, conducted by the University of Agder and OsloMet, involved interviews with fifteen parents of teenagers aged 16 to 19.
The transition is significant because Norwegian law grants young people the right to make independent decisions about their health from age 16. At this point, parents lose access to their child's medical records and must rely on the teenager to manage appointments and prescriptions themselves.
"When they turn 16, they no longer appear in their parents' official health portal app Helsenorge. They become responsible for logging in themselves, arranging medical appointments, and collecting their own prescriptions from the pharmacy," Mikkelsen said.
Many parents reported feeling unprepared for this change and expressed a need for clearer information about the legal shift. They also wanted better guidance on how to support their children if health issues arise during adolescence. The study found that parents struggled to balance respecting their teenager's independence with ensuring sound health decisions were made.
Mikkelsen said, "They found it difficult to know where the boundaries lay, and they were concerned about not being informed about serious health issues that may arise during adolescence, such as contraception and side effects, abortion, or emergency admissions." Parents described situations where teenagers could start medications with significant side effects without parental input or support.
The digital landscape added another layer of complexity. While many parents felt confident seeking out reliable health information online, distinguishing trustworthy sources was challenging—especially regarding new topics like recently introduced vaccines. Even those with higher education or healthcare backgrounds found it hard to keep up with fast-moving trends on platforms like TikTok.
"Trends on TikTok move so quickly that parents struggle to keep up. This makes it difficult for them to offer young people sound advice," Mikkelsen said.
Feelings of shame were also common among parents when teenagers faced difficulties such as school refusal or social struggles—issues less openly discussed than problems with younger children. Mikkelsen noted: "It is easy to talk with other parents about a two year old having a tantrum or refusing to go to nursery. But when a 16 or 17 year old does not want to attend school or struggles to make friends, parents feel more like they have failed."
Parents expressed interest in learning more about adolescent brain development and sought clearer guidance on supporting teenagers through these years. Mikkelsen concluded: "On this, we believe the school health service has a golden opportunity to put this on the agenda - particularly in Year 10, before young people turn 16. It can be as simple as providing checklists or conversation guides on common youth related topics, in addition to school based information meetings at key transition points."
