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Qualitative Research

Guide to help find and critically appraise qualitative research articles

PEO: Answering a Qualitative Question

PEO is an acronym that can help you create a search strategy for finding research to answer a qualitative research question.

 

  • Patient, Population or Problem you are investigating
  • Exposure to an illness, a risk factor, screening, rehabilitation service, etc.
  • Outcome or themes include experiences, attitudes, feelings, improvement in condition, mobility, responsiveness to treatment, care, quality of life or daily living.

 

 

Example of PEO in Action

What are the attitudes of health professionals towards caring for older patients with dementia in an acute setting?

 

  Main concept Boolean search using combined terms

P

Patient or Problem

Health professionals working in an acute setting

(Acute care OR acute setting OR hospital* OR inpatient* OR ward*)

AND

(Nurs* OR professional* OR practitioner* OR staff OR personnel)

E

Exposure

Caring for older patients with dementia  Dementia OR alzheimer* 

O

Outcome

Attitudes of heath professionals towards older dementia patients Attitude* OR opinion* OR perception* OR perspective* OR belief* 

FINAL BOOLEAN SEARCH:

(Acute care OR acute setting OR hospital* OR inpatient* OR ward*) AND (Nurs* OR professional* OR practitioner* OR staff OR personnel) AND (Dementia OR alzheimer*) AND (Attitude* OR opinion* OR perception* OR perspective* OR belief*)

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