Assignment: PICOT Question & Methodical Principles

Introduction

Normally, the PICOT format is helpful in formulation of questions in evidenced based clinical practices. PICOT generated questions generally fall under for main categories of clinical practices. These include; therapy, prevention, diagnosis, etiology as well as Prognosis. The essential elements in PICOT questions. The PICOT format is valuable in addressing research questions comprehensively (Riva, Malik, Burnie, Endicott, & Busse, 2012).

PICOT Question

In middle age male patients with prostate cancer (P), how does early diagnosis of the condition (I) compared to not being diagnosed earlier(C) influence the risk of complications in future treatments(O) during the advance stages of the condition (T)?

PICOT Question & Methodical principles

The five key elements are normally addressed including; population, intervention, comparison, outcome and time as well. Population provides descriptive information about patients or study subjects. The key information assessed include; disease, age, race, sex among other key characteristics). This is especially important in understanding the research subjects or patients (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt , 2015).

Intervention and comparison as elements of PICOT questions. Intervention involves specific plans the researcher or clinician may want to do for the research subject and patients respectively. On the other hand, in comparison and outcome components of PICOT format, the clinician may look at alternatives to different treatments identified in the intervention section. Conversely, outcome section analyzes possible outcomes of the research studies after treatments have been administered to patients. Moreover, the research study or treatment program is likely to take form major component of the PICOT (Morley, 2009).

References

Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt , E. (2015). Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: A guide to best practice. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health.

Morley, P. T. (2009). Evidence evaluation worksheets: the systematic reviews for the evidence evaluation process for the 2010 International Consensus on Resuscitation Science. Resuscitation, 80(7), 719-721.

Riva, J. J., Malik, K. M., Burnie, S. J., Endicott, R. A., & Busse, W. J. (2012). What is your research question? An introduction to the PICOT format for clinicians. The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association, 56(3), 167.