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Article History

Received: 24 September 2024

Accepted: 11 April 2025

First Online: 25 April 2025

Declarations

:

: The study was approved by the Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics in Norway (No. 186661). The Norwegian Agency for Shared Services in Education and Research performed a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) for this study to identify and reduce risks associated with the processing of personal data and to ensure compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The authors confirm that all procedures adhered to the relevant principles and regulations of the Declaration of Helsinki. Each participant received detailed postal information about the study and had to give verbal consent before the interview. All participants gave their informed consent to use data for research purposes during the interviews, and participants retained the right to withdraw from the study at any time. The safety and well-being of participants were important. Respondents were encouraged to answer questions in a setting free from distractions. The survey questions mainly employed"yes"or"no"questions to keep confidentiality and reduce the risk of unintentionally disclosing sensitive information if overheard. After each interview, we evaluated whether participants required psychological support from a psychologist unrelated to the study or referrals to established help services. Notably, 62 respondents accepted support and counseling from a psychologist. According to international regulations, written consent was not needed based on Article 6 (No.1) of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), where the following condition was met: "The collection/processing of personal data is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest."

: Not applicable.

: The authors declare no competing interests.