Use the resources in this guide to learn about PICO(T) questions and how to create and use them effectively. If you are having trouble finding sources for your assignment, ask a librarian for help.
PICO(T) is a process used for framing a research question that allows for more effective location, assessment, and evaluation of sources. It is a popular model used within evidence-based practice research. The PICO(T) question is composed of different segments: Population/Patient, Intervention, Comparison/Control, Outcome, and Time.
| P | Population/Patient | Who are the relevant parties? Be sure to consider factors such as age, sex, geographic location, or those with a particular condition that are relevant to your question. |
| I | Intervention | What is the medication, management strategy, diagnostic test, or exposure that you would like to focus on? |
| C | Comparison/Control | Other than your own intervention, is there an alternative management strategy, diagnostic test, or exposure that you would like to use as a comparison? Note: there may not always be a comparison/control |
| O | Outcome | What are the applicable patient-related results of the intervention? |
| T | Time | What is the time frame? Note: this element is not always included |
Below are examples of the different segments of a PICO(T) question. Note that, when combined, a PICO(T) question becomes quite specific. Keep in mind that this chart constructs a PICO(T) question with the elements in the same order every time. This does not always need to be the case. Depending on how you structure the sentence, the intervention can come before the population, or the outcome can be placed at the beginning.
| Population/Patient | Intervention | Comparison/Control | Outcome | Time | |
| Example #1 | in patients with arthritis | does physical therapy | none | reduce joint inflammation | within a year |
| Example #2 | in elderly patients with throat cancer | what are the current treatments | in the management of fever and infection | none | none |
| Example #3 | in high school children | what is the effect of a nurse-led presentation on bullying | compared to intervention | decreased reporting in bullying | within a 6-month time frame |
| Example #4 | in adults over age 50 | is a yearly mammogram | compared to a mammogram every 3 years | more effective in detecting breast cancer | none |
Example #1 (from segment examples)
| PICO(T) elements | Keywords | Search Terms | Search Strategies |
| Patient or Problem | patients with arthritis | arthritis, joint pain, inflammation | (arthritis OR "joint pain" OR inflammation) |
| Intervention | physical therapy | "physical therapy," arthritis, inflammation | "physical therapy" AND (arthritis OR "joint pain") |
| Comparison | none | ||
| Outcome | reduce joint inflammation | "reduce joint inflammation," "relieve arthritis" | "reduce joint inflammation" OR "treat arthritis" |
| Time | within a year | "one year," "twelve months," "a year" | ("one year" OR "twelve months") AND result |
Example #4 (from segment examples)
| PICO Elements | Keywords | Search Terms | Search Strategies |
| Patient or Problem | adults over age 50 | "adults over 50," "senior citizens," geriatrics | ("adults over 50" OR "senior citizens") |
| Intervention | yearly mammogram | mammogram, screening, mammography | "older adults" AND (mammogram OR screening) |
| Comparison | a mammogram every 3 years | "mammogram every 3 years" | ("mammogram every 3 years" OR "annual mammogram") |
| Outcome | more effective in detecting breast cancer | "breast cancer detection," "more effective breast cancer detection," "early cancer detection" | "more effective breast cancer detection" AND ("mammogram every 3 years" OR "annual mammogram") |
| Time | none |
