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Title: PICO for Research Question

Category: Misc

Keywords: Research Question (PubMed Search)

Posted: 5/20/2024 by Mike Witting, MD, MS

Starting a study? Frame your research question in the PICO format:

Patients (consider severity of presentation, setting, demographics)

Intervention (either something you propose or something in use)

Comparison (another group, the same group without intervention, or a benchmark)

Outcome (a measurement)

This classic format has been used to evaluate studies, as in Journal Club (by our esteemed Dr. Wilkerson), as a literature search tool, or by the Cochrane review. 

Starting with a PICO research question can help you narrow your focus and maintain it.

References

https://www.cochranelibrary.com/en/about-pico


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