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Evidence Based Practice (EBP)

PICO

The PICO model can be used to form a well-built clinical question, which can help build an effective search strategy.

PICO stands for:-

Patient, Population or Problem

Intervention or exposure

Comparison

Outcome

  1. Start with the patient: clinical problems and questions arise out of patient care
  2. Divide the question into PICO elements to identify search terms/concepts (See below)
  3. Decide on the best type of study to address the question
  4. Perform a literature search in the appropriate source(s)

Note that you might not use all the PICO elements in your search strateg

QUESTION AND STUDY TYPES:

Therapy/Intervention: Selecting treatments that do more good than harm

Diagnostic: Selecting and Interpreting diagnostic tests to confirm or exclude a diagnosis

Best study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Controlled Clinical Trial

 

Prognosis: Estimating a patient's likely clinical course over time due to factors other than interventions

Harm/Etiology: Identifying causes for diseases

Best study designs: 1. Cohort studies 2. Case control studies

SAMPLE QUESTION:

A 28-year-old male presents with recurrent tension headaches. He has been hoping to avoid medication and wants to know if acupuncture would be an effective alternative to over the counter medication. To convert this to an answerable question, use the P I C O method as follows :

 

P = 28 year old male with recurrent tension headaches

I = acupuncture

C = over the counter analgesics

O = reducing frequency of tension headaches

PICO Question: In patients with recurrent tension headaches, does acupuncture treatment, compared to analgesics, reduce the recurrence rate? Question Type: Therapy.