Bringsvor 2018.

Study characteristics
Methods	Design: RCT Follow‐up: 3 months Control group: usual care
Participants	Recruitment: hospital (outpatient) Assessed for eligibility: 2309 Randomly assigned: SM: 92; UC: 90 Completed: SM: 55; UC: 70 Mean age: SM: 68.5 (SD 8.16) years; UC: 69.3 (SD 9.02) years Gender (% male): SM: 59; UC: 63 COPD diagnosis: GOLD criteria, confirmed with spirometry (FEV1/FVC ratio <0.7) Inclusion of participants in acute phase: no Major inclusion criteria: registered ICD‐10 code J44.0, 1, 8, or 9 after 1 January 2010; age ≥ 18 years; confirmed COPD grade II to IV, according to the GOLD; and the ability to read and speak Norwegian Major exclusion criteria: substantial cognitive impairment reported in a medical journal (e.g. severe dementia, severe Alzheimer’s disease), substantial alcohol or drug abuse, or both, or a life expectancy < 12 months due to comorbidity
Interventions	Mode: group sessions at meeting locations in the participants' home municipalities Duration: 11 face‐to‐face group sessions (120 min) scheduled weekly Professional: (respiratory) nurse, physiotherapist (co‐moderator) Assignment of case managers: yes, accessible to participants during the complete follow‐up period Self‐management components: smoking cessation (optional), self‐recognition of COPD exacerbations, use of a COPD exacerbation action plan, home‐based exercise or physical activity component, diet, COPD medication intake (i.e. adherence, inhalation technique), coping with breathlessness, psychological issues, information about the healthcare system, including local, regional and national “offers” for persons with COPD Self‐management topics: not reported Behavioural change techniques: 2 clusters: goals and planning, feedback and monitoring
Outcomes	1. Lung function 2. Dyspnoea (mMRC) 3. CAT 4. Self‐management (HeiQ version 2) 5. GSE 6. SOC‐13
Notes	Source of funding: this work was supported by the Western Norway Regional Health Authority [grant number 2013/911836] and the Norwegian Extra Foundation for Health and Rehabilitation [grant number 2015/RB13639] Conflict of interest: none declared