Clinical trials

The goal of this clinical trial is to test if the invest in Play (iiP) parent program can reduce problem behaviors in children and improve parenting practices in families with children who show challenging behaviors. The main questions it aims to answer is: • Does the iiP program reduce children's problem behaviors? Researchers will compare families in the iiP program to families in a control group to see if the program leads to better outcomes for children and parents. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the iiP program group or the control group and complete surveys before and after the program to see if iiP is reducing children's problem behaviors.

The goal of this observational study is to gain more information about the aetiology and progression of mastitis and breast inflammation, in order to develop evidence-based clinical guidelines and treatment plans, especially concerning judicious use of antibiotics. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Do clinical symptoms differ between inflammatory and infectious mastitis? * What is the microbial composition in human milk, and does it change before, during, and after episodes of mastitis? * Does the bacterial composition change due to antibiotic treatment? * Are all mastitis episodes treated with antibiotics bacterial mastitis? * Do mothers with recurrent mastitis have a distinct microbial composition? * Are there immunological markers that can differentiate between bacterial and inflammatory mastitis? Researchers will compare breastfeeding women with and without mastitis to see if the microbiological composition in milk and on the skin of the breast and breast nipple differs.

Chronic pain significantly impacts individuals and society, with about 30% of Norwegian adults affected, making it the leading cause of long-term sick leave and disability benefits. Concerns over addiction to pain medications highlight the need for non-pharmacological treatments, though many such therapies, often complementary or alternative, are not widely available in conventional healthcare. Unclear biomechanisms of these therapies pose challenges for clinical trials and acceptance. This pilot study aims to explore the effects of two types of massage-cupping massage (CM, intense) and tactile massage (TM, soft)-on chronic neck pain, focusing on their mechanisms of action. Quantitative sensory testing (QST) will be used as a biomarker to assess changes in the pain pathway. A previous feasibility study on CM and QST conducted in Germany informs this research. The study will recruit 60 patients with chronic neck pain, randomized to CM or TM, with six weekly treatment sessions. QST will be measured before and after treatment to understand therapy-induced changes in the pain pathway. Findings will help tailor massage therapies to individual needs, improve clinical trial quality, and promote the integration of non-pharmacological treatments into conventional care, benefiting a large population in need.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if the combination of two interventions is more effective in treating fibromyalgia symptoms than one intervention alone. The participant group will be people with fibromyalgia in age group 18-65 years. The two interventions to be tested over sixteen weeks are: * weekly exercise sessions in groups * weekly consultations with a therapist The main question it aims to answer is: Is the combination of group exercising and somatic tracking work more efficient than physical activity alone in terms of managing fibromyalgia? Participants will wear Fitbit activity trackers, register pain intensity daily on a mobile app, and answer the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ). They will be divided into four groups: * one group receiving the exercise intervention * one group receiving the psychological intervention * one group receiving both intervention * one control group recieving general physical activity recommendations Before the sixteen weeks intervention period, there will be a baseline period of eight weeks. Durng the baseline period, participants will wear activity trackers and maintain their usual lifestyle. Researchers will compare the combination of the interventions against only one intervention and the control group.

Background: The prevalence of comorbid insomnia is 8-10 times higher in patients with chronic pain than in the general population. Insomnia adds a considerable burden as it worsens the quality of life, restoration and repair, mental health and pain symptoms. Since pain and sleep problems are mutually reinforcing, improvements in sleep may have beneficial effects on pain. Unfortunately, the customary use of sleep medication (TAU: treatment-as-usual) often yields short-lived plus side effects. The "Sleep-Well" intervention examines if a group-based intervention program focusing on sleep literacy, sleep restriction, stimulus control and metacognitive therapy modules may perform better than TAU in improving patients' insomnia and sleep quality. Eligible patients: Investigators target adult patients referred to the University Hospital of North Norway (Tromsø) for a diagnostic evaluation of their pain condition. Patients eligible for the Sleep-Well study are those who satisfy diagnostic criteria for a non-malign pain disorder plus a comorbid insomnia sleep disorder. Patients are not eligible if they use drugs or large doses of morphine (\>100 equivalents), are engaged in an insurance case due to their diagnosis, or participate in other ongoing group programs at the hospital. Aims: This trial uses a randomized semi-crossover design to examine if the Sleep-Well group does better regarding insomnia and sleep quality than the control patients (TAU). The primary outcome measures are reductions in diagnostic criteria for insomnia, self-reported insomnia symptoms, quality of life, and actigraphy-measured insomnia indicators (long sleep onset latency, frequent nightly awakenings and early morning awakening). The secondary outcome measures include a simplified polysomnography measurement of brain activity during sleep to assess if proportions or durations of slow-wave versus light-wave sleep and EEG-based arousal indices improve. In addition, it is examined if the Sleep-Well intervention incurs benefits concerning pain complaints, dysfunctional sleep and pain cognitions, anxiety and depression. The intervention: The Sleep-Well program schedules group sessions that cover four topics (sleep literacy, behavioural and mental strategies, maintenance and relapse prevention). All sessions are led by two therapists. Those randomized to the active control group (TAU) cross over to the Sleep-Well intervention three months later.