PICO: A Model for Evidence Based Research

Summary

This tutorial introduces the PICO framework, a key tool in evidence-based research for formulating clear clinical research questions. The acronym stands for Patient/Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome, with optional elements of Time and Type of study. Using a practical example of a college campus smoking ban, the video demonstrates how to define each component and identify relevant keywords for searching academic literature. It also covers how to use Boolean operators and truncation in database searches to refine results. The tutorial equips users with a systematic approach to structuring research questions and finding the best sources.

Takeaways

• 😀 Pico is a framework for formulating research questions in evidence-based research, focusing on patient, intervention, comparison, and outcome.
• 😀 The 'P' in Pico refers to the Patient or Population, describing the characteristics of the individuals being studied, such as disease, age, or gender.
• 😀 The 'I' in Pico stands for Intervention or Interest, focusing on the main action or treatment being considered, like prescribing a drug or performing surgery.
• 😀 The 'C' in Pico is for Comparison, identifying alternative treatments or methods for comparison, such as a placebo or a different drug.
• 😀 The 'O' in Pico represents the Outcome, which is the expected result or impact of the intervention, like symptom reduction or improved health.
• 😀 A time frame and study design are also important when using Pico, helping to define how long participants will be observed or what methodology is best.
• 😀 The script provides an example of a research question: 'What effect will the campus smoking ban have on students who smoke?', showing how Pico can structure this.
• 😀 Keywords and synonyms play a crucial role in research searches, helping to refine and expand the scope of results for a given research question.
• 😀 Boolean operators such as 'AND', 'OR', and 'NOT' help define the search in databases, ensuring relevant and accurate results.
• 😀 Truncation (using asterisks) and quotation marks are useful techniques in database searches to include variations of a word or phrase.
• 😀 A well-organized list of keywords and phrases for each Pico concept can help streamline the search process and ensure comprehensive literature review results.

Q & A

What is the PICO framework used for in evidence-based research?

The PICO framework is used to structure clinical and research questions by focusing on key components: Patient/Population, Intervention/Interest, Comparison, and Outcome. It helps researchers clearly define their questions and determine relevant factors for investigation.

Why are the first four components of PICO considered essential?

The first four components of PICO (Patient/Population, Intervention/Interest, Comparison, and Outcome) are generally always needed to clearly define the research question, while the two T's (Time and Type of Study) may be optional depending on the specific study design.

Can you explain what is meant by 'Intervention' in the PICO framework?

In the PICO framework, 'Intervention' refers to the primary action or treatment being investigated. This could include a specific drug, therapy, diagnostic test, or other healthcare-related procedures intended to help the patient or population.

What role does 'Comparison' play in the PICO framework?

The 'Comparison' component in PICO helps define what the intervention is being compared to. It could involve an alternative treatment, a placebo, or even no treatment at all, allowing for a direct comparison to measure the effectiveness of the intervention.

How does the 'Outcome' component of PICO shape research questions?

The 'Outcome' component specifies what researchers hope to achieve or observe as a result of the intervention. This can include measurable results such as symptom relief, reduced disease incidence, or improvements in health outcomes.

What is the example research question used in the tutorial to demonstrate PICO?

The example research question used is: 'What effect will the campus smoking ban have on students who smoke?' This question is analyzed through the PICO framework to identify the patient, intervention, comparison, and expected outcome.

How can keywords and Boolean operators be used to search for research articles?

Keywords help identify the main concepts of your research question. Boolean operators like AND, OR, and NOT are then used to refine searches. For instance, AND combines concepts, OR provides alternatives within a concept, and NOT excludes unwanted results. Truncation (using an asterisk) and quotation marks for phrases further enhance search precision.

What is the significance of using 'AND' and 'OR' in Boolean searches?

'AND' is used to ensure all specified concepts are included in search results, while 'OR' is used to include alternative words or synonyms. Using these operators effectively helps refine and broaden search results for more relevant articles.

Why is truncation useful when searching databases?

Truncation is useful because it allows you to search for all variations of a word by adding an asterisk (*) at the root. For example, searching for 'smok*' retrieves results for smoke, smoking, smoker, and other forms of the word, saving time and broadening the search.

How does the PICO framework relate to the quality of evidence in research?

The PICO framework helps ensure that research questions are well-structured, making it easier to find high-quality evidence. By specifying the population, intervention, comparison, and outcome, the framework narrows down search criteria, which can help researchers locate studies with the highest relevance and reliability.