PICO Questions
The next step in the literature search process is developing an answerable question. Physicians use the PICO question structure to frame a specific clinical question and to efficiently search the medical literature to determine the effectiveness of a very specific treatment or a diagnostic test. The term PICO is an acronym for Population or Patient (P), Intervention (I), Comparison (C), and Outcome (O). (Note: PICO questions also assist in making an oral case presentation, and in writing consulting letters to specialists.)
The background information you read has given you an overview of COPD. However, you have a very specific question about Mr. Jones' particular situation. Using a PICO question as a starting point is the best and most efficient way to search citation databases like Medline.
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Task 6: 1. Below is a link to a tutorial developed at Boston University that will explain how to formulate a clinical question. Please complete the tutorial. Creating a clinical or PICO question will be part of future assignments. |
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Task 7: 1. Now that you have completed the PICO tutorial, create a PICO question to assist you in determining whether pulmonary rehabilitation would benefit Mr. Jones. Tip: Consult the case study for details about Mr. Jones to incorporate into the PICO question. Keep a copy of your PICO question. 2. Click here to check your PICO question against the suggested model. |