When Should I Use the P.I.C.O. Model?
Background questions concern general knowledge. These types of questions generally have only 2 parts:
- A question root (who, what, when, where, how, why) and
- a disorder, test, treatment, or other aspect of health care.
Often these questions can best be answered by using a textbook or consulting a clinical database.
Foreground questions are specific knowledge questions
- that affect clinical decisions and
- include a broad range of biologic, psychological, and sociologic issues.
These are the questions that generally require a search of the primary medical literature and that are best suited to the PICO format.