Flaegel, Kristina
Brandt, Bettina
Goetz, Katja
Steinhaeuser, Jost
Article History
Received: 23 September 2019
Accepted: 2 April 2020
First Online: 29 April 2020
Ethics approval and consent to participate
: This study was carried out in consideration of the Declaration of Helsinki. The Heidelberg University Hospital’s institutional review board (IRB) informed on inquiry that an anonymous survey would not need a vote by the IRB (correspondence from August 2, 2012). Thus, the IRB waived the need for formal ethics approval for studies surveying anonymous data like this study does.Since this was a study with anonymous participation, the return of the completed questionnaire had to be regarded as consent to participate. Completion and return of this survey was voluntary. Participants were fully informed about this approach in the study invitation and information sheet.
: Not applicable.
: BB and JS are specialists in family medicine. KG is a member of the editorial board (associate editor) of this journal. KF declares that she has no competing interests.