Foreground Questions:
Foreground questions are focused, searchable questions that can be best answered through evidence in published research studies. They seek evidence to answer clinical information related to a specific population, patient, or problem.
Using the PICO acronym will help you focus on the elements of your question, when it wants to answer a question focused on an intervention or therapy. However, foreground questions can also be related to etiology, prognostic factors, or outcome measures.
The acronym of PICO translates to the following:
- P = Problem/patient/population
- I = Intervention
- C = Comparison
- O = Outcome
- T = Time (optional)
Why should you use PICO(T)?
PICO helps you form a more focused question that will return relevant results
It makes searches more precise giving you a manageable amount of results
Gives you additional ideas on new terminology and synonyms to use
P = Patient/Problem
What is the primary problem, disease or condition
I = Intervention
What do you want to do for the patient or problem?
Is there a particular intervention you have in mind in trying out?
C = Comparison
Are there standard or alternative treatments that you can compare with to the intervention?
*Not all clinical questions will have a comparison*
O = Outcome
What do you hope to accomplish, measure, improve, or affect?