PICO
Pronunciation: PEE-koh
Also written as: PICO — Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome
An acronym for Population, Intervention, Comparator, and Outcome; a structured framework used to formulate research questions in evidence-based dental and clinical research.
Full Definition
PICO is a well-established framework for constructing focused clinical research questions and defining eligibility criteria in systematic reviews and clinical trials. In dental research, the PICO elements are typically expanded in the methods section to justify study design and scope: Population (e.g., adults with moderate chronic periodontitis), Intervention (e.g., subgingival debridement), Comparator (e.g., supragingival scaling alone), and Outcome (e.g., change in clinical attachment level). An additional 'S' for Study design is often appended, forming 'PICOS.' Editors reviewing systematic reviews must verify that the PICO(S) elements are explicitly stated, internally consistent, and reflected in the search strategy and inclusion/exclusion criteria. PICO is always written in upper case.
Usage
Usage note: Always written in full capitals. 'PICOS' adds 'Study design' as a fifth element and is common in dental systematic review reporting. Do not confuse with 'PECO' (used in environmental exposure research) or 'SPIDER' (used in qualitative research).
In Context
- "The systematic review question was formulated using the PICO framework: patients with Stage III periodontitis, scaling and root planing, no active treatment, and change in probing depth at six months." — Systematic review methods section
- "The PICO elements stated in the introduction do not match the inclusion criteria listed in the methods—please reconcile." — Copy-editor query to author