Example: PICO(T) Question and Search Strategy
Example: PICO(T) Question and Search Strategy
PICO(T) Question Example:
“In adult cancer patients experiencing fatigue (P), what is the effect of meditation (I), compared with standard care (C), on quality of life (O) within 6 months (T)?”
Building a Database Search Strategy for the PICO(T) Question:
- A well-built PICO(T) question forms the basis of a database search strategy for finding research literature.
- Concepts from the PICO(T) question are used to construct a comprehensive database search strategy with search terms describing each relevant component of the PICO(T).
- Relevant elements of your PICO(T) question can be used to develop a “starter” list of keywords (including synonyms) to use in a database search. Most commonly, the most important parts of a PICO(T) question for searching are the P, I, and O.
- After developing a “starter” list of search terms, you can then begin brainstorming your search strategy for combining terms with OR or AND, and using other techniques such as a truncation (i.e. a keyword search for letharg* will also find articles with the term lethargic or lethargy):
| PICO(T) Elements | Example | Starter List of Synonyms and Search Terms | Initial Keyword Search Strategy |
| P – Patient/Population/Problem | Adult cancer patients experiencing fatigue | Cancer
Neoplasms Oncology Tumor Tumour Malignancy
Fatigue Tiredness Lethargy Exhaustion |
cancer* OR neoplasm* OR oncolog* OR tumor* OR tumour* OR malignan*
AND fatigue* OR tired* OR letharg* OR exhaust* |
| I – Intervention/Variable of Interest | Meditation | Meditation
Mindfulness Breathing Relaxation Yoga Guided imagery |
meditat* OR mindful* OR breath* OR relax* OR yoga OR “guided imagery” |
| C – Comparison (may be “standard care” or “usual care”) | Standard care | Not needed as a search term | |
| O – Outcome(s) | Improving quality of life | Quality of life
Quality of living Life quality Well-being |
“quality of life” OR “quality of living” OR “life quality” OR well-being OR wellbeing OR “well being” |
| T – Time | 6 months | Not needed as a search term |
