PICO: Using PICO
Describes the PICO interface and how to use it effectively.
PICO Guide, Printable PDF
- PICO Printable GuideA pdf printable guide for the PICO interface
Medline's PICO Interface
Definition of PICO
PICO, an acronym for "patient, intervention, comparison, outcome," is a technique for formulating a question and inputting it into medical databases, such as Medline or CINAHL. It helps you think more clearly and input a better query. Some databases have a PICO interface, such as Medline. Others, like CINAHL, do not.
| Definition | Description |
|---|---|
| P=Patient or Problem | Consider a description of the patient (age, gender, ethnicity) and/or the condition or disease. |
| I=Intervention | What intervention or treatment is in question? This could be a drug, a test, a procedure, or an exposure. |
| C=Comparative intention | What is the alternative action you are considering? This may be left empty if there is not an alternative under consideration. |
| O=Outcome | This is what you hope to accomplish, improve, or alter. |
