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.