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(See also full Library Hours Calendar.)
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Email: library@msj.edu
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Archbishop Alter Library
Mount St. Joseph University
5701 Delhi Road
Cincinnati, OH 45233
Website URL: https://library.msj.edu
Using PICO Search in EBSCO Databases
PICO is an acronym that describes a process for helping health professionals formulate a clinical question before starting a search.
The clinical question needs to identify:
All EBSCO databases, including CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE with Full Text, Alt HealthWatch, and SPORTDiscus with Full Text, support this searching style by providing a unique search box for filling in the separate PICO elements. This feature helps researchers reduce their search query into a succinct statement and defines specific keywords.
Creating a PICO Search
In the following example, the researcher wants to know "In newborns experiencing pain, is there evidence to suggest that skin to skin contact is more effective than administering oral sucrose to reduce pain?"
To search using PICO:
For more information on PICO, along with additional examples of PICO questions, see "Forming Focused Questions with PICO: About PICO" from the University of North Carolina's Health Sciences Library.