DHG 111: PICO/EBDM: Finding Articles for Your PICO Question

Cochrane Library features Cochrane Reviews--systematic reviews of the literature. You won't get the most hits in this database, some of you won't find anything at all, but if you do it will be high-quality.

There are a couple of ways to go about this.
1. In the top search box, type in your patient characteristic, the intervention(s) you are considering, and/or the outcome you wish. Note that often you won't get results with all three, be prepared to reduce specifics to get more articles.

2. If you click "Advanced Search," you will see Cochrane has a PICO search. It can be interesting to see how they assign PICO keywords.

Search tips:

• put multi-word phrases in quotation marks, e.g. "dental hypersensitivity"
• try putting in P I (C) and O, but be prepared to reduce specifics to get more results
  • P + I
  • P + O
  • just P or I

This database can be frustrating because it doesn't contain a lot of full text.

• Try limiting (left-side column) to Free Full Text.
• Otherwise, email the librarians (library@parkland.edu) to request the full article.

Access full text of ADHA publication Journal of Dental Hygiene

• Type 1043-254X in text box and in pull down (Select a Field) "IS ISSN"        THEN
• Type keywords in second text box, third box, etc. This might be title words you found by searching/browsing the ADHA web site.

Or search the database more generally

• Under "Search Options" limit your results by some or all:
  • Evidence-Based Practice
  • Full Text
  • Peer Reviewed
  • Careful with these! Each thing you specify reduces the number of articles.
• Start with P I (C) and O keywords, but be prepared to reduce specifics.