SPICE is helpful if you are formulating questions about qualitative or improvement research.
S: Setting (or context)
- Where does the study apply?
P: Perspective (or users, potential users or stakeholders)
- For whom is the study being conducted?
I: Intervention
- What action is being implemented?
C: Comparison
- Is there a direct comparison?
- What other factors apply?
E: Evaluation of the success of the intervention
- What result is sought?
- How will this be measured or assessed?
A topic: Increasing vaccination uptake
The SPICE breakdown:
S: Setting - Local community
P: Perspective - Immunisation planning teams
I: Intervention - Vaccination centres
C: Comparison - Sites at a distance
E: Evaluation of the success of the intervention - Greater uptake following first invitation
Does a vaccination centre (I) being within 1 mile of a patient's home (S) encourage greater uptake (E) than sites requiring travel (C)?