The CIAO Framework
CIAO is a framework for crafting research questions for evidence-based research in social work. CIAO stands for:
- CLIENT
How would you describe a client similar to yours? What are the most important characteristics of your client?
- INTERVENTION
What main intervention, exposure, or factor are you considering?
- Alternative Intervention
What is the main alternative to your intervention being considered, if any?
- OUTCOME
What are you trying to accomplish, measure, improve or affect?
- Watch "Framing Questions with PICO"
This helpful video was created by Yale University Libraries Cushing/Whitney Medical Library
PICO is a similar framework used in the health sciences. Substitute PICO for CIAO, and this video can be very helpful.
Developing Your Search Strategy Using CIAO
Use the following worksheet to learn more about crafting search strategies for complex searches
- Search Tips and TricksCheat Sheet for Fundamentals to Searching
Creating keywords for your searches is the first step to a comprehensive search strategy.
From each of our CIAO aspects, we can brainstorm keywords and synonyms (other terms authors might be using) to use in our search. See the example below.
Example of CIAO
Example CIAO construction of a research question
| Client | Women who have been diagnosed with substance abuse disorder (SUD) |
| Intervention | Partial hospitalization addiction recovery programs |
| Alternative | Outpatient addiction recovery programs |
| Outcome | Prevalence of relapse |
CIAO-Constructed Final Question
Do women who have been diagnosed with substance abuse disorder (client) that engage in partial hospitalization addiction recovery programs (intervention) have lower instances of relapse (outcome) when compared with women who engage in outpatient addition recovery programs (alternative intervention)?
Example of Search Keywords Using CIAO
| CIAO | Aspect | Keywords |
| C | Women who have SUD |
Women - femmes, females, womxn SUD - "Substance Use Disorder," addiction, "substance abuse," "drug abuse," etc |
| I | Partial hospitalization addiction recovery programs |
"Partial hospitalization programs" - PHP, "partial day hospitalization," "inpatient programs" "Addiction recovery" - rehabilitation, rehab, "substance abuse recovery," etc |
| A | Outpatient addiction recovery programs |
"Outpatient recovery programs" - "outpatient programs," "intensive outpatient programs," etc "Addiction recovery" - rehabilitation, rehab, "substance abuse recovery," etc |
| O | Relapse | Relapse - recidivism, lapse, return to use, etc |
Sources for CIAO Assignment
These sources come directly from your CIAO class assignment (Module 12 of Research Methods 1):
"Identify two articles in the literature addressing the research question. Start your search with the curated sources (list below). Describe how the two articles you identified fit your CIAO framework."
- ACP Journal ClubSummaries of the best new evidence for internal medicine.
- Agency for Healthcare Quality and ResearchClinical Guidelines and Recommendations
- APA PsycInfoan index of scholarly literature in behavioral sciences and mental health fields. It is relevant to the study of psychology and related fields, such as psychiatry, management, business, education, social science, neuroscience, law, medicine, and social work.
- BioMed CentralBioMed Central (BMC) is an independent publishing house committed to providing immediate open access to peer-reviewed biomedical research. All original research articles published by BioMed Central are made freely and permanently accessible online immediately upon publication. Note that access to some content, such as reviews and paper reports, may be available only with a subscription.
- California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child WelfareThe mission of the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC) is to advance the effective implementation of evidence-based practices for children and families involved with the child welfare system.
- Campbell CollectionReviews in social science disciplines published by Campbell
- Cochrane LibraryThe Cochrane Library contains high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making. It includes reliable evidence from Cochrane and other systematic reviews, clinical trials, and more. Cochrane reviews bring you the combined results of the world's best medical research studies, and are recognized as the gold standard in evidence-based health care.
- Essential Evidence Pluspoint of care tool designed to offer "Patient-Oriented Evidence that Matters". Also includes access to 6 EBM databases, calculators, guidelines and quick reference tools.
- Evidence-Based Behavioral Practice"The EBBP.org project creates training resources to help bridge the gap between behavioral health research and practice."
- Evidence-based mental healthPublished by the British Psychological Society, the Royal College of Psychiatrists and BMJ
- Evidence Alerts from BMJ"EvidenceAlerts is an Internet service that notifies physicians and researchers about newly-published clinical studies. Researchers at the McMaster Health Information Unit find the highest quality studies, reviews, and evidence-based clinical practice guidelines from 112 premier clinical journals and these articles are rated by practicing physicians for clinical relevance and interest. Alerts are curated to your own clinical interests."
- Health Services/Technology Assessment Text (HSTAT) (NCBI Bookshelf) (Free)This is a free, Web-based resource of full-text documents that provide health information and support health-care decision making.
- Human Services Research InstitutePublications and more on research and solutions in human services
- Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence-Based Practice Joanna Briggs Institute EBP Database is published by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). The Institute is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading providers of evidence–based information from across the globe, as well as the tools that help healthcare professionals implement an effective evidence–based practice program and provide the best possible patient care. JBI and its collaborating entities, which are based at the University of Adelaide, South Australia, promote and support the synthesis, transfer and utilization of evidence through identifying feasible, appropriate, meaningful and effective healthcare practices to assist in the improvement of healthcare outcomes globally.
- National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors Research Institute"NRI offers the highest quality, unbiased relevant data and research services to stakeholders of behavioral health services."
- The National Working Group on Evidence-Based Health Care"The National Working Group on Evidence-Based Healthcare: Keeping Science Relevant to the Individual. Ensuring appropriate evidence-based healthcare policy through education and advocacy."
- Public Library of Science (PLOS)"PLOS is a nonprofit, Open Access publisher empowering researchers to accelerate progress in science and medicine by leading a transformation in research communication."
- PubMedFree access worldwide to over 22 million scholarly citations on biomedical and healthcare topics of interest to students, clinicians and researchers
- Research in Practice"Supporting evidence-informed practice with children and families, young people and adults"
- SAMHSA Evidence-Based Practice Resource CenterEvidence-based programs for mental and substance use disorders.
- Turning Research into Practice (TRIP) DatabaseThe TRIP Database is a resource for evidence-based medicine, allowing users to easily and rapidly identify the highest quality evidence from a wide range of sources.