5.2.2 Determining your review question

The review question should consist of clear and explicit statement(s) that are directly linked to the focus of the systematic review. The review question may be posed as an actual question or as a statement. For textual evidence reviews, the review question is commonly developed using the PICo mnemonic (Population, the Types of Interventions / Phenomena of Interest and the Context). The review questions should specify the focus of the review (textual evidence), the types of participants, types of interventions or phenomena of interest, and the context considered. There should be consistency between the review title and the review questions in terms of the focus of the review. Review authors are encouraged to read the article by Stern, et al. ³⁵ regarding the review questions and the inclusion criteria.

The review question can provide readers with a significant amount of information about the focus, scope and applicability of a review to their needs. It should be apparent if the review is examining narrative, expert opinion or policy or if all three are to be considered. Similarly, including the context in the question assists readers to situate the review.

A textual evidence review will have a primary question. If that question sufficiently addresses the review objectives, there is no need for secondary or sub questions. However, some questions benefit from one or more sub questions that delve into particular attributes of context, population or phenomena of interest.

For example:

What is the textual, non-research evidence relating to the use of physical restraint in acute care settings?

• What are the narratives, expert opinions or policies from either healthcare consumers or healthcare providers in relation to the use of physical restraint in the acute care setting?