Scenario

Structure

Example

Basic structure.

[Intervention] for [health problem].

Antibiotics for acute bronchitis.

Comparing two active interventions.

[Intervention A] versus [intervention B] for [health problem].

Immediate versus delayed treatment for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Type of people being studied or location of intervention mentioned explicitly.

[Intervention] for [health problem] in [participant group/location].

Inhaled nitric oxide for respiratory failure in preterm infants.

Not specifying a particular ‘health problem’ (e.g. ‘Home versus hospital birth’), or if the intervention intends to influence a variety of problems (e.g. ‘Prophylactic synthetic surfactant in preterm infants’).

[Intervention] in OR for [participant group/location].

Restricted versus liberal water intake in preterm infants.

Sometimes it is necessary to specify that the intervention is for preventing, treating, or preventing and treating the health problem(s).

If necessary, the word ‘for’ is followed by ‘preventing’, ‘treating’, or ‘preventing and treating’. This is better than using ‘for the prevention of’ etc.

Pool fencing for preventing drowning in children;

Amodiaquine for treating malaria;

Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold.