Table 1.

Information on moderators’ profession, recruitment strategies, and ethical approval per study center

Study center	N	Moderators/Observers	Profession	Methodological training	Recruitment strategies	Ethical approval
Mainz, DE	6	Melanie Schranz	Anthropologist, PhD	Research training in qualitative methods on a post-graduate level; additional courses in qualitative methods	Patients approached by treating physician; display of project information (poster); project announcement via mailing list of self-help groups	Ethik-Kommission bei der Landesärztekammer Rheinland-Pfalz
		Britta Büchler	Epidemiologist	Research training in qualitative methods on a post-graduate level; additional courses in qualitative methods
Pamplona, ES	13	Juan I.Arrarás	Psychologist, PhD	Research training in qualitative methods on a doctoral level	Patients approached by treating physician	Comité Ético de Investigación Clínica de Navarra—Servicio Navarro de Salud
		Uxue Zarandona	Psychologist	Research training in qualitative methods on a post-graduate level
Gdansk, PL	12	Paula Nyklewicz	Psychologist	Research training in qualitative methods on a post-graduate level	Former participants of the PREFERABLE projecta contacted again by study team (initially approached by treating physician)	Niezależna Komisja Bioetyczna do Spraw Badań Naukowych przy Gdańskim Uniwersytecie Medycznym
		Magdalena Mirek	Psychologist	Research training in qualitative methods on a post-graduate level
Stockholm, SE	13	Yvonne Wengström	Nurse, Professor	Research training in qualitative interviewing on a doctoral level	Patients approached by treating physician or contact nurse for overall PREFERABLE projecta (incl. PERSPECTIVE focus group study); display of project information (leaflets) in waiting rooms	Etikprövningsmyndigheten
		Malin Backman	Nurse, PhD	Research training in qualitative interviewing on a doctoral level

DE Germany; ES Spain; PL Poland; SE Sweden

^a EU-Horizon 2020 funded research program on exercise interventions in the context of MBC