Using your PICO question: 1. outline specifically what is your target population and your accessible population? 2. Explain the difference between an accessible and a target population. (You may create another PICO question if you what to change what you previously wrote, but answer the same sample question. Check the attechment
The target population refers to the specific group of individuals that a researcher intends to study or draw conclusions about. It is the population that the research findings are meant to apply to. In the context of a PICO question, the target population is the focus of the question and the group for which the clinical decision will be made.
On the other hand, the accessible population is the group of individuals from which the research participants are actually selected. It is the population that is available and realistically accessible for the research study. This population may be a subset of the target population due to practical limitations such as geographical constraints, time constraints, or specific eligibility criteria for participant selection.
To illustrate this distinction, let’s consider an example PICO question: “In adult patients with Type 2 diabetes, does regular aerobic exercise improve glycemic control compared to those who do not exercise?”
In this case, the target population would be adult patients with Type 2 diabetes. These are the individuals who the research findings aim to provide insights on the effectiveness of regular aerobic exercise for improving glycemic control.
The accessible population, however, may be a subset of the target population due to various factors such as location or specific eligibility criteria. For example, the accessible population in a particular study might only include adult patients with Type 2 diabetes who are residents of a specific city or who meet certain inclusion criteria such as having a certain level of physical fitness or being free from other health conditions that could impact the study results.
It is important to distinguish between the target and accessible populations because the findings and conclusions of a study are applicable only to the accessible population that was actually included in the study. Extrapolating the study findings to individuals who were not part of the accessible population may not be appropriate or valid.
In research, it is often a challenge to have access to the entire target population. The accessible population is a practical compromise based on the resources and constraints of the study. It is crucial for researchers to clearly define and describe the accessible population to ensure transparency and the validity of their findings.
In conclusion, the target population refers to the specific group of individuals that a researcher intends to study or draw conclusions about, while the accessible population is the group of individuals from which the research participants are actually selected. The accessible population is determined by practical constraints and is a subset of the target population. Accurately defining and describing the accessible population is essential for drawing valid conclusions and applying the research findings appropriately.