title: [EBM: otitis media in children: how to formulate a PICO question].
abstract: This series of articles begins with a problem frequently encountered in children: acute otitis media. Under the insistence of parents, antibiotics are frequently prescribed. The physician knows that the value of that therapy is debatable, but what for a child of 6 years of age? The physician whishes to compare his/her opinion with what is published in the litterature or available on the web. How to start his/her research? In this first article the physician will find out how to translate his/her practical question into a question which leads to a practical answer, and then to a PICO question. This will allow the physician to find sources of directly usable and relevant data which will offer a rational and wellfounded answer to his/her clinical question.
authors.affiliation: Les auteurs sont médecins généralistes associés au Centre pour l'Evidence-Based Medicine, Leuven.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van den Bruel
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chevalier
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vermeire
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aertgeerts
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Buntinx
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012196:Review Literature as Topic