Testing a prototype for PICO (population, intervention, comparison, outcome) search of Cochrane Reviews

Workshop category: 

  • Searching and information retrieval
Date and Location

Date: 

Sunday 16 September 2018 - 16:00 to 17:30

Location: 

Tinto
Contact persons and facilitators

Contact person:

Roger Tritton

Facilitators:

Tritton R1, Mavergames C2, Foxlee R3, Beecher D4, Pestridge C3
1 Cochrane Innovations, Research and Development, United Kingdom
2 Cochrane Central Executive, Germany
3 Cochrane, United Kingdom
4 Cochrane CET/Informatics & Technology Services, Italy

Acknowledgements:

Becker L1
1 , USA
Target audience

Target audience: 

All those with an interest in searching Cochrane Reviews, including researchers, consumers, clinicians, policy-makers, and others

Level of difficulty: 

Intermediate
Type of workshop

Type of workshop : 

Discussion
Abstract

Abstract:

Background:
There has long been a recognition among producers and users of Cochrane evidence that, whilst Cochrane Reviews are rich sources of information on Populations, Interventions, Comparisons, and Outcomes (PICOs), existing search methods available on the Cochrane Library and other search platforms can be quite blunt tools. For this reason, it can be hard to find PICO data that matches a given research or patient question.
In response to this challenge, Cochrane has embarked on a programme of 'PICO annotation' - the creation of PICO metadata - for Cochrane Reviews. A prototype for a Cochrane PICO search has also been created, enabling users to build PICO questions and find reviews that match the PICO specified. There is the potential for PICO search to augment current Cochrane Library search capabilities.
Research using an early prototype has shown that PICO searching on Cochrane Reviews has the potential to:
- speed up the finding of reviews relevant to a given healthcare question;
- enhance the sensitivity of searches, to ensure all relevant reviews are found;
- help understand the quality of evidence available for a given PICO;
- help understand the currency of reviews or studies available for a given PICO;
- enhance investigation of evidence for effectiveness relevant to a specific patient or to a larger population.
Research has also shown us that PICO search can make use of Cochrane data more intuitive, especially to the non-expert searcher; and that it can be used in training to improve best practice in use of evidence.

Objectives:
The objectives of the workshop will be to:
- improve understanding of how PICO searching can enhance the investigation of healthcare questions for expert and non-expert users respectively;
- test the relevance and comprehensiveness of results found using a PICO search prototype;
- understand barriers to use of PICO searching;
- gauge the intuitiveness of PICO searching.
Lessons learned from the workshop will contribute to potential future PICO search interface development.

Description:
Participants will run a series of sample searches, to validate the performance of the PICO search prototype against:
- speed of review of search results;
- sensitivity of search;
- intuitiveness of PICO search principles;
- intuitiveness of the prototype interface.
Participants should bring a laptop.

Relevance to patients and consumers: 

Research shows that PICO searching can make building healthcare questions more intuitive and easier, thus supporting use of Cochrane Reviews by inexperienced searchers. PICO searching can help people find Cochrane data specifically relevant to them - to answer questions such as, "What does Cochrane have to say about patients like me? Or about the treatment I am considering, or alternatives? Or about the results I hope to achieve? Or bad effects that I hope to avoid?". PICO also helps remove irrelevant and disorientating results from searches. PICO searching may enhance use of Cochrane evidence in clinical consultations.