Your choice of framework depends on the type of research question you're asking. Think about what your review question is asking, who it’s about and what it’s seeking to evaluate.
Framework | Stands for | Best for | Example question |
Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes, Study design | Evaluating the effectiveness of a treatment against an alternative (or control) | Does cognitive behavioral therapy reduce depression symptoms in adults compared to medication? | |
Population, Exposure, Comparison, Outcomes, Study design | Determining whether a particular exposure is associated with an outcome | Does long-term air pollution exposure increase cardiovascular disease risk in urban adults? | |
Sample, Phenomenon of Interest, Design, Evaluation, Research type | Analyzing mixed methods research of the experiences, perceptions, or processes of a population | What are the experiences of informal caregivers supporting family members with dementia at home? | |
Population, Phenomenon of Interest, Context | Understanding experiences or meanings in a specific context | What are the experiences of nurses providing end-of-life care in hospital settings? | |
Setting, Perspective, Intervention, Comparison, Evaluation | Evaluating services, programs or interventions from the perspective of the population | How effective is a community-based rehabilitation program, from the patient's perspective, in improving functional outcomes compared to standard care? | |
Population, Concept, Context | Mapping the breadth of evidence on a topic | What evidence exists on digital health interventions for chronic disease self-management in low-income countries? |
If your review is not based on any of the question frameworks available, you can simply select the "Other" option. If you would like to suggest an example of a framework that you think should be included, please feel free to contact us at support@covidence.org. We would be happy to record this as product feedback for consideration in future updates.