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Physician Associate Studies: EBP: Questions to Ask

Types of questions

Background questions: 

Are there elements of the question which require basic (background) research? Is there a gap in the clinician's/researcher's knowledge about specific elements of the question? 

  • What additional information does the clinician/researcher require to better understand the patient/population or problem? 
  • What additional information does the clinician/researcher require to better understand the intervention proposed? 
  • What additional information does the clinician/researcher require to better understand the control variable proposed? 
  • What additional information does the clinician/researcher require to better understand the desired outcome? 

Background questions are typically answered with textbooks, reference texts, summary/review articles, and point-of-care tools.

Background question example: 

Asian-American adult female with type 2 diabetes mellitus requests alternatives to insulin treatment. 

  • What is type 2 diabetes mellitus?
  • Is type 2 diabetes mellitus prevalent in the Asian-American community? 
  • What is the standard of treatment for adult women with type 2 diabetes?
  • What should be known about insulin treatments? 
  • What are the effects of untreated type 2 diabetes mellitus?

Foreground question: 

Foreground questions combine predetermined elements of the clinical problem to acquire specific knowledge. They are more complex and specific than background questions. 

Foreground questions combine the Patient/Population/Problem and the Intervention and the Control treatment and the desired Outcome into a PICO format. 

Domains

Question Domain

Patient/Population/

Problem

 Intervention Control Outcome Measure Level of Evidence

Therapeutic/

Treatment

 Disease or condition Therapeutic measures: Exercise, medication, surgical, life style change Standard of care, additional intervention, placebo, no control Measurable improvement in impairment/disease factors Randomized Control Trial (RCT)
Prevention Risk factors, Medical history Preventative measures Alternative preventative measures or no control Measurable improvement in impairment/disease factors RCT or Prospective study
Diagnosis Specific disease or condition Diagnostic test or procedure Standard of care  Measurable results of test/procedure utility/sensitivity/odds ratio RCT or Cohort Study
Prognosis Duration & sensitivity of main prognostic factor or clinical problem Typically time related Typically not applicable Mortality rates or rates of disease progression Cohort Study and/or Case-Control Series
Etiology Risk factors, health disorders, medical history Strength/dose/duration of intervention or exposure (risk factor) of interest Typically not applicable Mortality rates or rates of disease progression Cohort Study

Source: https://canberra.libguides.com/c.php?g=599346&p=4149722

  • Last Updated: Aug 23, 2024 1:07 PM
  • URL: https://libguides.lib.miamioh.edu/pa
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