Physical Therapy

What is a background question?

A background question is when you are seeking general knowledge about a process, condition, test, treatment or thing. The background question is intended to provide ciritcal information about the topiuc being studies, hglihting and expanding upon foundational studies conducted in the apst, or a gap in knowledge, translation of research into clinical practice, or any other important historical event that informs why you chose your clinical focused research question.  

The background question should answer:

• Why did you choose your foreground question?
• What is the current information, or lack of information, surrounding your clinical question?

Examples of background questions:

• What is the incidence of Parkinson's disease?
• Why might balance strategies decrease the risk for falling in patients with Parkinson's disease?
• Finding valid and reliable outcome measures for fall risk in patients with Parkinson's disease

Background/overview information may be found in sources such as:

• books and eBooks, evidence summaries, reference books, textbooks, chapters, and appendices. 
• drug directories, guides to diagnostic tests 
• overview articles
• expert opinions, pre-synthesized and pre-appraised guidelines or summaries