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Article History

Received: 20 October 2025

Accepted: 13 February 2026

First Online: 26 February 2026

Declarations

:

: The cluster-randomized controlled trial received the necessary approvals from The Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics South-East (REC, reg. no. 2014/435), The National Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics (NEM, reg. no. 2014/160), and the Data Protection Officer at Akershus University Hospital (reg. no. 2013 − 138). The research was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.Written informed consent to participate in the cluster-randomized controlled trial was obtained for two patient cohorts completing a questionnaire at GP practices, and REC and NEM granted exemption from confidentiality to extraction of some specified structured data from the electronic patient records in GP practices for two patient cohorts. NEM determined that the study fulfilled the necessary legal criteria to extract structured register data from the GP offices without giving the patients information or asking for written consent. These three legal criteria were that it is difficult to obtain consent for the large number of patients on the lists at the six GP practices, that the research is of significant interest to society, and that the planned procedures safeguard the welfare and integrity of the participants.

: Not applicable.

: The authors declare no competing interests.