A clinical question needs to be directly relevant to the patient or problem at hand and phrased in such a way as to facilitate the search for an answer. PICO makes this process easier. It is a mnemonic for the important parts of a well-built clinical question. It also helps formulate the search strategy by identifying the key concepts that need to be in the article that can answer the question.
PICO (alternately known as PICOT) is a mnemonic used to describe the four elements of a good clinical question. It stands for:
P--Patient/Problem
I--Intervention
C--Comparison
O--Outcome
Many people find that it helps them clarify their question, which in turn makes it easier to find an answer.
Use PICO to generate terms - these you'll use in your literature search for the current best evidence. Once you have your PICO terms, you can then use them to re-write your question. (Note, you can do this in reverse order if that works for you.)
Forming Focused Questions with PICO A tutorial created by University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Health Sciences Library for learning how to form questions using the PICO framework. Includes case studies and question examples.
For an intervention/therapy:
In _______(P), what is the effect of _______(I) on ______(O) compared with _______(C) within ________ (T)?
For etiology:
Are ____ (P) who have _______ (I) at ___ (Increased/decreased) risk for/of_______ (O) compared with ______ (P) with/without ______ (C) over _____ (T)?
Diagnosis or diagnostic test:
Are (is) _________ (I) more accurate in diagnosing ________ (P) compared with ______ (C) for _______ (O)?
Prevention:
For ________ (P) does the use of ______ (I) reduce the future risk of ________ (O) compared with _________ (C)?
Prognosis/Predictions
Does __________ (I) influence ________ (O) in patients who have _______ (P) over ______ (T)?
Meaning
How do ________ (P) diagnosed with _______ (I) perceive ______ (O) during _____ (T)?
Templates: Fineout-Overholt E. & Stillwell, S. B. (2011). Asking compelling, clinical questions. In B.M. Melnyk & E. Fineout-Overholt (Eds.), Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare (pp. 25-39). Wolters Kluwer Health.
