Types of PICOT Statement or Questions

Types of PICOT Statement or Questions

Evidence-based research helps in drawing conclusions and making definitive decisions in clinical practice. Asking well-designed clinical questions helps in developing strategies that lead to finding relevant scholarly literature. Before writing the PICOT question, it is important to ask foreground and background questions. The background questions are for general knowledge about the condition or behavior, whereas the foreground questions are specific about knowledge that informs clinical actions or decisions. In addition, these questions have different points of focus, as outlined below.

1. Therapy

Therapy-related questions are questions about a treatment used to achieve a given outcome. It covers actions such as counseling, education, lifestyle changes, follow-up, surgical interventions, depending on the population of interest. For example, in adult patients with SLE, is consuming turmeric tea more effective than Plaquenil at reducing joint pain? The template for this is: In(P)how does. (I) compared with (C) affect. (O) within. (T)

2. Prevention

The prevention-related questions help establish how something can be prevented or how its consequences can be mitigated to curb the spread. Therefore, when using the PICO framework strategy, you have to explore the potential of having preventive measures against a patient's condition and report the expected outcomes. The template for this is: In. (P) using a given preventive method Y. (I) compared to. (C)lead to reduced loss of days at work (O), over. (T) Example: In OR, nurses doing a five-minute scrub (P), what are the differences in the presence and types of microbes (O) found on natural polished nails and nail beds (I) and artificial nails (C) at the time of surgery (T)?

3. Diagnosis

The diagnosis-related PICO questions focus on the identification of a disorder in a patient. The diagnosis or diagnostic test is done on a patient with specific symptoms. It is an initial basis of your research as it specifies the niched-down disease of focus. It helps narrow down to a specific disease, given the symptoms that could be experienced with patients having a spectrum of diseases. The PICO for diagnosis or diagnosis test examines which test is accurate and precise in diagnosing a condition. The template for this is: In(P)are/is. (I)compared with. (C) more accurate in diagnosing. (O) Example: Is a PKU test (I) done on two-week-old infants (P) more accurate in diagnosis inborn errors in metabolism (O) compared with PKU tests done at 24 hours of age (C)? Time is implied in two weeks and 24 hours old.

4. Prognosis

The prognosis-related, also known as prediction-related PICO questions, are used to determine the clinical course over time, including the likely complications of a given condition. Primarily, understanding the progression of a disease is critical for clinical decision-making. It is valuable to inquire about the possibility of a disease occurring, how far it has come, and its predicted effects over time. It helps in planning therapy and making treatment plans The template for this is: In(P) how does(I). compared with(C). influence (O). over. (T) Example: For patients 65 years and older (P), how does the use of an influenza vaccine (I) compared to those who have not received the vaccine (C) influence the risk of developing pneumonia (O) during flu season (T)?

5. Etiology/Harm

Finally, etiology-related questions are used to determine the greatest risk factors or the causes of a condition. These questions help clinicians identify the starting point when assessing what works well for a given population of patients and which does not work. It also helps in developing a new treatment plan following the failure of previous interventions. The template for this is: Are (P) who have(I) compared to those without. (C) at. risk for. (O) over (T) Example: Are kids (P) who have obese adoptive parents (I) at Increased risk for obesity (O) compared with kids (P) without obese adoptive parents (C) during the ages of five and 18 (T)? Read more from: Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2011). Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: A guide to best practice. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

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