Background The internet provides general users with wide access to medical information. However, regulating and controlling the quality and reliability of the considerable volume of available data is challenging, thus generating concerns about the consequences of inaccurate health care–related documentation. Several tools have been proposed to increase the transparency and overall trustworthiness of medical information present on the web. Objective We aimed to analyze and compare the quality and reliability of information about percutaneous coronary intervention on English, German, Hungarian, Romanian, and Russian language websites. Methods Following a rigorous protocol, 125 websites were selected, 25 for each language sub-sample. The websites were assessed concerning their general characteristics, compliance with a set of eEurope 2002 credibility criteria, and quality of the informational content (namely completeness and accuracy), based on a topic-specific benchmark. Completeness and accuracy were graded independently by 2 evaluators. Scores were reported on a scale from 0 to 10. The 5 language subsamples were compared regarding credibility, completeness, and accuracy. Correlations between credibility scores on the one hand, and completeness and accuracy scores, on the other hand, were tested within each language subsample. Results The websites’ compliance with credibility criteria was average at best with scores between 3.0 and 6.0. In terms of completeness and accuracy, the website subsets qualified as poor or average, with scores ranging from 2.4 to 4.6 and 3.6 to 5.3, respectively. English language websites scored significantly higher in all 3 aspects, followed by German and Hungarian language websites. Only German language websites showed a significant correlation between credibility and information quality. Conclusions The quality of websites in English, German, Hungarian, Romanian, and Russian languages about percutaneous coronary intervention was rather inadequate and may raise concerns regarding their impact on informed decision-making. Using credibility criteria as indicators of information quality may not be warranted, as credibility scores were only exceptionally correlated with content quality. The study brings valuable descriptive data on the quality of web-based information regarding percutaneous coronary intervention in multiple languages and raises awareness about the need for responsible use of health-related web resources.

The COVID-19 pandemic is associated with suicide, as some data suggests. Our study aims to investigate the emergence of eleven completed suicide cases suspected to be linked to the COVID-19 pandemic during the restrictive measures imposed by the Romanian government, and to identify the consequences of mental health, suicidal motivation, and behavioral changes. To this end, we analyzed the deceased’s medical records and applied the psychological autopsy method to the relatives/caregivers of the deceased for a suicidal investigation history, within conducted free-flow discussions. To highlight behavioral changes that occurred in the distant antecedents as well as immediately before the suicidal act, we used two sets of closed questions comprised of fifteen alarm signs, including depressive and/or anxiety symptoms. Our results showed that a deterioration of the mental status, especially concerning depressive and anxiety symptoms, was evident in people without or with pre-existing psychiatric pathology. The suicidal motivation proved to be complex including, in addition to the SARS-CoV-2 infection, social and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. We noted an intensification of the investigated alarm signs and even the emergence of new warning signs in the recent antecedents. Based on our findings, we reaffirmed the important role of the psychological autopsy method in suicide investigation, proving that it can detect the specific impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people prone to suicide. This impact can be psycho-emotional, social, and/or economical, and thus we can state that the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences can be, at least, a triggering factor that enhances completed suicide risk. Further studies are needed in this particular area because correlations between the COVID-19 pandemic and completed suicide do not appear to be accidental.

BACKGROUND The Internet provides general users with wide access to medical information. However, regulating and controlling the quality and reliability of the immense volume of available data is challenging, therefore generating concerns about the consequences of inaccurate healthcare-related documentation. Several tools have been proposed in an effort to increase the transparency and overall trustworthiness of medical information present online. OBJECTIVE To analyze and compare the quality and reliability of information about percutaneous coronary intervention on English, German, Hungarian, Romanian, and Russian language websites. METHODS Following a rigorous protocol, 125 websites were selected, 25 for each language subsample. The websites were assessed concerning their general characteristics, compliance with a set of eEurope 2002 credibility criteria, and quality of the informational content (namely completeness and accuracy), based on a topic-specific benchmark. Completeness and accuracy were graded independently by two evaluators. Scores were reported on a scale from 0 to 10. The five language subsamples were compared regarding credibility, completeness, and accuracy. Correlations between credibility scores on the one hand, and completeness and accuracy scores, on the other hand, were tested within each language subsample. RESULTS The websites’ compliance with credibility criteria was average at best with scores between 3.0 and 6.0. In matters of completeness and accuracy, the website subsets qualified as poor or average, with scores ranging from 2.4 to 4.6 and 3.6 to 5.3, respectively. English language websites scored significantly higher in all three aspects, followed by German and Hungarian language websites. Only German language websites showed a significant correlation between credibility and completeness. CONCLUSIONS The quality of websites in English, German, Hungarian, Romanian, and Russian language about percutaneous coronary intervention was rather inadequate and may raise concerns regarding their impact on informed decision-making. Using credibility criteria as indicators of information quality may not be warranted as credibility scores were only exceptionally correlated with content quality.