The PICO framework for framing systematic review research questions

A systematic analysis seeks to gather data to address a specific study issue. This entails locating all primary research related to the specified review issue, critically evaluating the research, and synthesizing the results. Systematic analyses may draw together various forms of information to analyze or clarify the context. They may incorporate results from different scientific trials to create a new integrated finding or inference. Any study topic can be addressed using systematic reviews. Curiosity in a subject and a need to address a particular question can motivate a systematic analysis. The question should define the specific demographic to which the question refers and any action and concern results. A well-defined study issue will aid in the clarification of the eligibility criterion for the inclusion of related studies (and exclusion of irrelevant studies). For comparatively straightforward systematic reviews of intervention efficacy, the “PICO” paradigm is often used to inform the systematic review topic ⁽¹⁾. The PICO method for framing systematic review study questions is explained in this article.

Evidence-based medicine (EBM) involves incorporating professional practice, the best available scientific data, and the patient’s principles and interests into clinical decision-making. The steps in practicing EBM are based on the patient. They include posing well-focused questions, looking for the best possible data, assessing the relevance of that evidence, and then adapting the findings to the patient’s treatment. Universal access to healthcare information and knowledge-based resources is needed to sustain 21st-century healthcare and EBM practice. To address scientific questions, clinicians and educators now use various tools and interfaces to scan the biomedical literature. According to the literature, often clinical inquiries go unanswered because of difficulty formulating a specific topic, forgetting the issue, a lack of access to knowledge services, and a lack of search skills⁽²⁾.

The first and arguably most critical move in the EBM process is to formulate a well-focused topic. It can be challenging and time-consuming to find adequate tools and look for valid information without a well-focused query. EBM practitioners often use a specialized system known as PICO to shape the query and promote the literature review. Patient Problem, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome is an abbreviation for PICO. The PICO concept can be extended to PICOTT by including details about the kind of question being posed (therapy, diagnosis, prognosis, damage, and so on) and the best kind of research design for that specific question. Using this approach assists the clinician in articulating the core parts of the therapeutic query that are most relevant to the patient and supports the evaluation process by defining the key principles for an appropriate search strategy⁽³⁾.