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 or PICOTT
| Patient/Population/Problem | Intervention | Comparison | Outcomes | Type of Question | Type of Study |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What are the most important characteristics? | What will you assess | What are/is the main alternative? | What are you trying to solve, improve, measure, affect? |
|
|
| Demographic, age, sex, primary issue, health status |
Diagnostic test, medication, procedure |
Current treatment, medication, nothing, death | Accurate diagnosis, relieve or improve symptoms, maintain | Prevention? Diagnosis? |
Systematic Review Clinical Trial? |