PICOT is a framework used to formulate clinical research questions or problems. It stands for:
- P: Patient, population, or problem of interest
- I: Intervention or exposure being considered
- C: Comparison of interest
- O: Outcome of interest
- T: Timeframe or type of study design
By using PICOT, healthcare professionals can create a clear and focused research question or problem statement, which can then guide the selection of appropriate study designs and research methods to find the best evidence-based practice.