Common Mental Health Conditions Research Articles

The Safety of Digital Mental Health Interventions: Systematic Review and Recommendations.

Evidence suggests that digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) for common mental health conditions are effective. However, digital interventions, such as face-to-face therapies, pose risks to patients. A safe intervention is considered one in which the measured benefits outweigh the identified and mitigated risks. This study aims to review the literature to assess how DMHIs assess safety, what risks are reported, and how they are mitigated in both the research and postmarket phases and building on existing recommendations for assessing, reporting, and mitigating safety in the DMHI and standardizing practice. PsycINFO, Embase, and MEDLINE databases were searched for studies that addressed the safety of DMHIs. The inclusion criteria were any study that addressed the safety of a clinical DMHI, even if not as a main outcome, in an adult population, and in English. As the outcome data were mainly qualitative in nature, a meta-analysis was not possible, and qualitative analysis was used to collate the results. Quantitative results were synthesized in the form of tables and percentages. To illustrate the use of a single common safety metric across studies, we calculated odds ratios and CIs, wherever possible. Overall, 23 studies were included in this review. Although many of the included studies assessed safety by actively collecting adverse event (AE) data, over one-third (8/23, 35%) did not assess or collect any safety data. The methods and frequency of safety data collection varied widely, and very few studies have performed formal statistical analyses. The main treatment-related reported AE was symptom deterioration. The main method used to mitigate risk was exclusion of high-risk groups. A secondary web-based search found that 6 DMHIs were available for users or patients to use (postmarket phase), all of which used indications and contraindications to mitigate risk, although there was no evidence of ongoing safety review. The findings of this review show the need for a standardized classification of AEs, a standardized method for assessing AEs to statically analyze AE data, and evidence-based practices for mitigating risk in DMHIs, both in the research and postmarket phases. This review produced 7 specific, measurable, and achievable recommendations with the potential to have an immediate impact on the field, which were implemented across ongoing and future research. Improving the quality of DMHI safety data will allow meaningful assessment of the safety of DMHIs and confidence in whether the benefits of a new DMHI outweigh its risks. PROSPERO CRD42022333181; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=333181.

2.56 Gamified Digital Mental Health Interventions as Therapeutics for Common Pediatric Mental Health Conditions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2.56 Gamified Digital Mental Health Interventions as Therapeutics for Common Pediatric Mental Health Conditions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

South Asian and East Asian Immigrant Pregnant women in Canada, United Kingdom, United States of America, Australia, and New Zealand: Prevalence of common mental health conditions and women’s lived experience with them

The goal of this review is to investigate the prevalence rates of common mental health conditions among pregnant East and South Asian immigrant women, as well as to understand their lived experiences with these conditions in 5 English-speaking countries: Canada, United Kingdom, United States of America, Australia, New Zealand. Pregnancy is a critical time in a woman's life marked by intricate physical, emotional, and psychological transitions. The mental health of pregnant women emerges as a paramount concern given its associations with poor pregnancy outcomes. This is crucial within the context of South Asian and East Asian immigrant women, who navigate unique cultural, social, and economic challenges in their host countries that may influence their emotional wellbeing. This review will investigate the prevalence rates of common mental health conditions. This review will also explore their encounters with mental health care services and interactions with perinatal mental health care providers and services. Quantitative and Qualitative studies in English language that examine East and/or South Asian immigrant women in the perinatal period will be considered for this review. Published abstracts and mixed methods studies will also be included. All languages and publication dates will be included. However, only studies with an English language translation will be considered. This review will exclude books/book chapters, editorials, commentaries, and reviews. CINAHL (EBSCO), MEDLINE ALL will be searched. Furthermore, a grey literature search will be included in the search using CINAHL and PsycINFO as well as websites such as Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC), Canadian Perinatal Surveillance System (CPSS), Canadian Perinatal Mental Health Collaborative (CPMHC), Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and the Canadian Pediatric Society. Screening, conflict resolution data extraction and aggregation will be done by two independent reviewers.

A reflection of the current status of the mental healthcare system in South Africa

In this paper we begin by highlighting the large treatment gap in South Africa for mental health conditions. We then describe the mental health services available, including the provision of evidence-based treatments in South Africa at each level of care, using the WHO's optimal mix of mental healthcare services as a framework. The optimal mix of services pyramid includes the following domains: informal services, which comprise self-care and informal community mental health care (including religious and traditional healers), primary care mental health services, psychiatric services provided at general hospitals, community mental health services, specialist services and long-stay facilities. In South Africa, mental healthcare services are concentrated at the apex of the pyramid within secondary hospital and specialist services, with fewer resources available at other levels of care, particularly at the community level. Barriers to access and delivery of evidence-based treatments at each level of care are discussed, including the current mental healthcare system resourcing and structure which drives the focus on the provision of medications and specialized services for patients with serious mental health conditions. The results of research conducted locally in collaboration with the Department of Health to address this gap, particularly regarding care for common mental health conditions in community settings, are described. Finally, we provide recommendations for the way forward to ensure that high-quality mental health services at all levels of care are delivered in an equitable, acceptable and effective manner.

Attitudes Toward Seeking Mental Health Services and Mobile Technology to Support the Management of Depression Among Black American Women: Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

Depression is a common mental health condition among Black American women. Many factors may contribute to the development of depressive symptoms, such as gender and racial discrimination, financial strain, chronic health conditions, and caregiving responsibilities. Barriers such as the stigmatization of mental illness, less access to treatment, the lack of or inadequate health insurance, mistrust of providers, and limited health literacy prevent marginalized populations from seeking care. Previous literature has shown that mobile health interventions are effective and can increase access to mental health services and resources. We aimed to understand the attitudes and perceptions of Black women toward using mental health services and determine the acceptability and concerns of using mobile technology (ie, voice call, video call, SMS text messaging, and mobile app) to support the management of depression. We launched a self-administered web-based questionnaire in October 2019 and closed it in January 2020. Women (aged ≥18 years) who identify as Black or African American or multiracial (defined as Black or African American and another race) were eligible to participate. The survey consisted of approximately 70 questions and included topics such as attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help, the acceptability of using a mobile phone to receive mental health care, and screening for depression. The findings (n=395) showed that younger Black women were more likely to have greater severity of depression than their older counterparts. The results also revealed that Black women have favorable views toward seeking mental health services. Respondents were the most comfortable with the use of voice calls or video calls to communicate with a professional to receive support for managing depression in comparison with SMS text messaging or mobile apps. The results revealed that higher help-seeking propensity increased the odds of indicating agreement with the use of voice calls and video calls to communicate with a professional to receive support for managing depression by 27% and 38%, respectively. However, no statistically significant odds ratios (all P>.05) were found between help-seeking propensity and respondents' agreement to use mobile apps or SMS text messaging. Moderate to severe depression severity increased the odds of using mobile apps to communicate with a professional to receive support for managing depression by 43%; however, no statistically significant odds ratios existed for the other modalities. Privacy and confidentiality, communication issues (eg, misinterpreting text), and the impersonal feeling of communicating by mobile phone (eg, SMS text messaging) were the primary concerns. Black American women, in general, have favorable views toward seeking mental health services and are comfortable with the use of mobile technology to receive support for managing depression. Future work should address the issues of access and consider the preferences and cultural appropriateness of the resources provided.

Parent-Child Nativity, Race, Ethnicity, and Common Mental Health Conditions Among United States Children and Adolescents

To examine associations between race, ethnicity, and parent-child nativity, and common mental health conditions among U.S. children and adolescents. Data were from 2016 to 2019 National Survey of Children's Health, a US population-based, serial cross-sectional survey, and restricted to children who had access to health care. We used weighted multivariable logistic regression to examine the associations between race and ethnicity (Asian, Black, Hispanic, White, Other-race); mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety, and behavior/conduct problems) stratified by household generation; and between household generation and outcomes stratified by race and ethnicity, adjusting for demographics (age, sex, family income to poverty ratio, parental education), and an adverse childhood experience (ACE) score. When stratifying by household generation, racial and ethnic minority children generally had similar to lower odds of outcomes compared with White children, with the exception of higher odds of behavior/conduct problems among third+-generation Black children. When stratifying by race and ethnicity, third+generation children had increased odds of depression compared to their first-generation counterparts. Third+generation, racial and ethnic minority children had increased odds of anxiety and behavior/conduct problems compared with their first-generation counterparts. The associations generally remained significant after adjusting for the ACE score. Lower odds of common mental health conditions in racial and ethnic minority children could be due to factors such as differential reporting, and higher estimates, including those in third+generation children, could be due to factors including discrimination; systemic racism; and other factors that vary by generation and need further investigation to advance health equity.

The experience of intergenerational interactions and their influence on the mental health of older people living in residential care.

The mental health of an increasing ageing population is an important part of healthcare. Research has explored means to enrich the lives of older adults living in residential settings, including approaches like the Eden Alternative. This is a cross-sectional, qualitative study with a quantitative component. It looks at common mental health conditions (CMHCs) in residential-living older adults in South Africa and describes their experiences of intergenerational interactions with playschool children. Participants completed a questionnaire which included the Geriatric Depression Scale and Geriatric Anxiety Scale and a semi-structured interview. Anxiety and depression were common in the sample with limited awareness of non-pharmacological therapy available at the facility. The intergenerational interactions were experienced positively with emerging themes of belonging, sense of purpose, reminiscence and positive affective experiences, but influenced by participants' preconceptions of children. The study concludes that intergenerational interactions may serve as adjunctive therapy in managing CMHCs in residential-living older adults. Recommendations are made for successful implementation of such programs.

Effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy as a transdiagnostic treatment for improving cognitive functions: a systematic review.

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) has been found to be an efficacious treatment for disorders characterized by high levels of emotional instability. In view of the multifaceted applications of DBT and the extent to which mental disorders can incapacitate cognitive functions, the current systematic review aimed to investigate the effect of DBT in strengthening cognitive functions across various mental health conditions. Original research studies employing both experimental and quasi-experimental designs were included in the review. The literature search was done using different electronic databases, from the first available literature until June 2022, that covered an approximate period of ten years. Joanna Briggs Institute checklist was used to assess the methodological rigor of the studies. Twelve studies conducted on adolescents with emotional dysregulation, and adults with borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and multiple sclerosis were selected. Results indicate that DBT has the potential to improve key cognitive functions such as attention, memory, fluency, response inhibition, planning, set shifting, tolerance for delayed rewards and time perception, as assessed by neuropsychological tests, self-report of cognitive functions, and neuroimaging techniques. Considering the review's findings that showcase the effectiveness of DBT in fostering improvements in cognitive functions, DBT may possibly be chosen as a preferred treatment to ensure that patients reach optimal levels of cognitive functioning. Limitations include lack of sufficient studies encompassing all the common mental health conditions, usage of neuroimaging techniques as only an indirect measure of cognitive functioning and nuances related to the quality of individual studies.

Use of Objective Rating Scales for Generalized Anxiety by Psychiatry Specialists in Pediatric Populations

In 2021, leading pediatric healthcare organizations declared a national state of emergency in children's mental health in America. Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions affecting pediatric populations.

Readmission and associated clinical factors among individuals admitted with bipolar affective disorder at a psychiatry facility in Uganda

BackgroundBipolar affective disorder (BAD) is a common severe mental health condition with a relapsing course that may include periods of hospital re-admissions. With recurrent relapses and admissions, the course, prognosis, and patient’s overall quality of life can be affected negatively. This study aims to explore the rates and clinical factors associated with re-admission among individuals with BAD.MethodThis study used data from a retrospective chart review of all records of patients with BAD admitted in 2018 and followed up their hospital records for four years till 2021 at a large psychiatric unit in Uganda. Cox regression analysis was used to determine the clinical characteristics associated with readmission among patients diagnosed with BAD.ResultsA total of 206 patients living with BAD were admitted in 2018 and followed up for four years. The average number of months to readmission was 9.4 (standard deviation = 8.6). The incidence of readmission was 23.8% (n = 49/206). Of those readmitted during the study period, 46.9% (n = 23/49) and 28.6% (n = 14/49) individuals were readmitted twice and three times or more, respectively. The readmission rate in the first 12 months following discharge was 69.4% (n = 34/49) at first readmission, 78.3% (n = 18/23) at second readmission, and 87.5% (n = 12/14) at third or more times. For the next 12 months, the readmission rate was 22.5% (n = 11/49) for the first, 21.7% (n = 5/23) for the second, and 7.1% (n = 1/14) for more than two readmissions. Between 25 and 36 months, the readmission rate was 4.1% (n = 2/49) for the first readmission and 7.1% (n = 1/14) for the third or more times. Between 37 and 48 months, the readmission rate was 4.1% (n = 2/49) for those readmitted the first time. Patients who presented with poor appetite and undressed in public before admission were at increased risk of being readmitted with time. However, the following symptoms/clinical presentations, were protective against having a readmission with time, increased number of days with symptoms before admission, mood lability, and high energy levels.ConclusionThe incidence of readmission among individuals living with BAD is high, and readmission was associated with patients’ symptoms presentation on previous admission. Future studies looking at BAD using a prospective design, standardized scales, and robust explanatory model are warranted to understand causal factors for hospital re-admission and inform management strategies.

Addressing the Maternal Mental Health Crisis Through a Novel Tech-Enabled Peer-to-Peer Driven Perinatal Collaborative Care Model

Addressing the Maternal Mental Health Crisis Through a Novel Tech-Enabled Peer-to-Peer Driven Perinatal Collaborative Care Model

Development of Hindi-Translated Version of the Female Sexual Function Index for Evaluating Sexual Dysfunctions among Individuals with Anxiety, Depression, and Other Common Mental Health Conditions: Experiential Account and Preliminary Findings from India

Sexual dysfunctions are common among females with common mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression. However, discussion on this topic remains taboo in many cultures, including India. Worldwide, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) is the most used tool to evaluate sexual functioning in females. Researchers across the globe attempted to translate and validate this scale in native languages (e.g., Japanese and Spanish); however, such translations are not available in Hindi. Strikingly, although there is literature informing us about the regional validation process of this scale, little has been discussed about qualitative nuances of the process of translation, the expert panel discussion, and cognitive interviewing during pilot testing. The lack of such procedural qualitative data limits the replicability of such translations in different cultures; furthermore, it can adversely influence the parameters of the validation study. Hence, the current study was conducted to highlight the process of Hindi translation of the FSFI and illustrate the challenges faced at various stages of translation and testing. The study was conducted in the multidisciplinary hospital of Central India by involving five translators, five expert panel discussants, and 15 patients with common mental health conditions or their caregivers. The significant findings of the current work include the requirement of semantic and grammatical changes and rephrasing of the sentences for improving comprehensibility and applicability in the Indian population (during the panel discussion). Additionally, it informed us to use alternate or more than one word to capture a concept, including English words written in Hindi (during preliminary pilot testing). Critical roadblocks were inadequate awareness of the issues, lack of typical/comprehensive terminologies to capture the ideas, and significant stigma attached to the subject.

Mental health in the community: part one.

Mental health issues are difficult yet common experiences. Considering that one in four people in England experience a mental health problem every year, it is essential that the community nurse has a good understanding of the different types of mental health problems faced by individuals, and be able to adequately provide care and support. In part one of a two-part series on mental health in the community, Sarah Palmer provides details on some of the more common mental health conditions, and the support that primary care can provide to individuals experiencing mental health issues.

Palliative Care Interventions Effects on Psychological Distress: A Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis.

Managing psychological distress is an objective of palliative care. No meta-analysis has evaluated whether palliative care reduces psychological distress. Examine the effects of palliative care on depression, anxiety, and general psychological distress for adults with life-limiting illnesses and their caregivers. We searched PubMed, PsycInfo, Embase, and CINAHL for randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of palliative care interventions. RCTs were included if they enrolled adults with life-limiting illnesses or their caregivers, reported data on psychological distress at 3 months after study intake, and if authors had described the intervention as "palliative care." We identified 38 RCTs meeting our inclusion criteria. Many (14/38) included studies excluded participants with common mental health conditions. There were no statistically significant improvements in patient or caregiver anxiety (patient SMD: -0.008, P=0.96; caregiver SMD: -0.21, P=0.79), depression (patient SMD: -0.13, P=0.25; caregiver SMD -0.27, P=0.08), or psychological distress (patient SMD: 0.26, P=0.59; caregiver SMD: 0.04, P=0.78). Psychological distress is not likely to be reduced in the context of a typical palliative care intervention. The systemic exclusion of patients with common mental health conditions in more than 1/3 of the studies raises ethical questions about the goals of palliative care RCTS and could perpetuate inequalities.

Epidemiology of anxiety disorders: global burden and sociodemographic associations

BackgroundAnxiety disorders comprise some of the most common mental health conditions. This study examined the global and regional burden of anxiety disorders over the last three decades. The study was designed to help accurately target preventative and management efforts by highlighting trends and high-risk groups. Epidemiological data relating to anxiety disorders from the latest Global Burden of Disease dataset were analyzed to determine the prevalence, incidence, and disability adjusted life years (DALYs) rates from 1990 to 2019 for 204 countries and regions.ResultsAn estimated 4.05% of the global population has an anxiety disorder, translating to 301 million people. The number of persons affected has increased by more than 55% from 1990 to 2019. Anxiety disorder metrics show a continuous increase in prevalence, incidence, and DALY rates. Portugal has the highest prevalence (8,671 cases per 100,000), followed by Brazil, Iran, and New Zealand. The prevalence is higher in high-income regions. Women are 1.66 times more likely to be affected by anxiety disorders than men. Age-standardized rates have remained stable, indicating the possible stability of risk factors.ConclusionsThe prevalence of anxiety disorders has been rising over the last three decades. The prevalence of anxiety appears to increase with socioeconomic development, a higher dependent older population, and urbanization. Future research on this topic could include the development of more accurate cross-cultural metrics to assess anxiety and its correlates, as well as population-based studies to assess trends in anxiety over time.

Mental Health Care Use Among Children and Adolescents With High Health Care Costs in Ontario, Canada

Research on patients with high health care costs has examined mainly adults, with little focus on mental health care use. To examine the characteristics and costs of children and adolescents with high health care costs who use mostly mental health care and whether and why they persist in the high-cost state. This population-based, retrospective cohort study used health care records from Ontario, Canada, on all children and adolescents (age 0-17 years) covered under a universal health care system from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2019. All children and adolescents in and above the 90th percentile of the cost distribution in 2012 for whom costs related to mental health care accounted for 50% or more of their costs were defined as patients with high mental health care costs. Data were analyzed from August 2019 to December 2022. High health care costs. Patients with high mental health care costs were characterized in terms of their sociodemographic characteristics; chronic physical health, mental health, and behavioral conditions; and health care costs (in 2021 Canadian dollars) by health service and type of care (mental health care vs non-mental health care). Patients were followed up until 2019 to assess whether they persisted in the high-cost state and to examine factors associated with persisting in that state. In 2012, there were 273 490 children and adolescents with high health care costs (mean [SD] age, 6.43 [5.99] years; 55.8% male; mean cost, $7936.40; 95% CI, $7850.30-$8022.40). Of these, 20 463 (7.5%) were classified as having high mental health care costs (mean cost, $10 040.20; 95% CI, $9822.80-$10 257.50). Asthma (30.3%), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (35.8%), and mood and/or anxiety disorders (94.9%) were the most common chronic physical, behavioral, or mental health conditions. Few patients with high mental health care costs persisted in the high-cost state beyond 3 years (19.0%). Mood and/or anxiety disorders (relative risk ratio [RRR], 6.17; 95% CI, 3.19-11.96) and schizophrenia spectrum disorders (RRR, 2.98; 95% CI, 2.14-4.14) were identified as the main factors associated with persistence in the high-cost state. In this cohort study of children and adolescents with high health care costs, some patients had high levels of mental health care use and high costs of care, but few of these persisted in the high-cost state for 3 or more years. These findings may help inform the development of care coordination interventions and service delivery models, such as youth integrated services, to reduce costs and improve outcomes for children and adolescents.

Unobtrusive and Acceptable Ways to Gather Participant Perceptions of Community-Based Interventions and Their Effectiveness at Improving Mental Health and Wellbeing: A Literature Review of Peer Reviewed and Grey Literature

In England, approximately 1 in 6 people have a common mental health condition, with certain groups experiencing worsening mental health since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, improving mental health remains a key priority for policy makers and practitioners. Community-based interventions are increasingly used to improve health and reduce inequalities. Evaluation of such interventions is important to ensure they are effective and to maintain financial support for continued delivery. Hesitation to complete administratively demanding evaluative measures by service users, which may not be suited to evaluating low intensity activities, point to the need to identify acceptable, unobtrusive methods of data collection. This review focuses on identifying unobtrusive methods that have previously been used to examine service user’s perceptions of community-based interventions and their effectiveness, and the acceptability of the methods. A review of peer reviewed, and grey literature was undertaken in July 2022. Literature was identified via six databases, Google searches, and by contacting experts. Literature was included if it described unobtrusive methods to gather service users’ perceptions of an intervention and/or reported the acceptability of such methods. Literature was excluded if it described traditional methods to gather service users’ perceptions of an intervention. Our search identified 930 citations from searching databases (n = 886), Google (n = 40), and from contacting 15 experts directly, and over 300 experts indirectly via three e-mail lists (n = 4). No literature met our inclusion criteria. We report an empty review. There is no peer reviewed or grey literature that describes unobtrusive methods of data collection for mental health and wellbeing focused community-based interventions, or their perceived acceptability. The findings from this review indicate the need to develop unobtrusive methods of data collection in the field of public mental health, suitable for low intensity activities, and examine the acceptability and feasibility of such methods.

Evaluating an emotion coaching programme for parents of young adolescents attending Child Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in New Zealand: protocol for a multi-site feasibility trial including co-design with service users

BackgroundEarly adolescence is a time of increased vulnerability for the development of common mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression (internalising outcomes). Current treatments such as cognitive-behavioural therapy and antidepressant medication are focused on the individual and have small effect sizes, particularly in real-world clinical settings such as the public Child Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). Parents are an important and under-utilised resource in treating these conditions in young adolescents. Teaching parents how to respond to their young person’s emotions can improve emotion regulation and reduce internalising outcomes. One emotion-focused programme for parents of this age group is Tuning in to Teens (TINT). This is a structured, manualised skills group for parents only focused on teaching skills to coach young people through their emotional experiences. This study aims to investigate the impact of TINT in the clinical setting of publicly funded CAMHS in New Zealand.MethodsThe trial will evaluate the feasibility of a two-arm multi-site randomised control trial (RCT). Participants will be 10–14-year-olds referred to CAMHS in Wellington, New Zealand, with anxiety or depression, and their parents or guardians. Arm 1 will be parents attending and implementing TINT (in addition to the usual care received at CAMHS). Arm 2 will be usual care only. TINT groups will be facilitated by CAMHS clinicians who have been trained in the programme and will be delivered over 8 weekly sessions. Prior to the RCT, a co-design methodology will be used with service users to inform outcome measures used in the trial. A group of service users meeting the RCT criteria will be recruited to take part in workshops to help determine their priority outcomes. Measures based on the results of workshops will be included in the outcome measures. The primary feasibility outcomes will be the recruitment and retention of participants, acceptability of the intervention for service users and clinicians and acceptability of outcome measures.DiscussionThere is a need to improve outcomes for the treatment of adolescent anxiety and depression. TINT is a programme with the potential to enhance outcomes for those accessing mental health services by providing targeted support to parents of adolescents. This trial will inform whether a full RCT is feasible to evaluate TINT. Including service users in the design will increase its relevance of an evaluation in this setting.Trial registrationThe Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN): ACTRN12622000483752. Registered on 28 March 2022.

Long working hours, perceived work stress, and common mental health conditions among full-time Canadian working population: A national comparative study

Long working hours, perceived work stress, and common mental health conditions among full-time Canadian working population: A national comparative study

Mental health is related to metabolic syndrome: The Hispanic community health study/ study of Latinos

ObjectiveMetabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with common mental health conditions. Using cross-sectional data from the observational Hispanic Community Health Study / Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), this study examined the relationship between MetS and depression and anxiety in addition to testing moderating effects of gender and Hispanic heritage subgroups. MethodsParticipants included 13,496 Hispanic Americans aged 18–74 (59% women, mean age 46.59 ± 13.65) from seven heritage subgroups. Depression was measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression 10-item scale, and anxiety was assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory 10-item scale. A 3-level categorical variable was developed to assess the combined influence of depression and anxiety. The dependent variable is dichotomous, delineating the presence or absence of MetS as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program Third Adult Treatment Panel. Logistic regression and Hayes’ PROCESS macro assessed these relationships and the moderating effects of gender-heritage subgroups. ResultsResults suggest depression (p < .001) and anxiety (p < .001) were associated with an increased likelihood of MetS. Puerto Ricans had the highest, and South Americans had the lowest, levels of depression and anxiety. Gender moderated the relationship between mental health and MetS, with women having a significant increase in the probability of MetS with depression (p < .001), anxiety (p < .001), or both (p < .001). ConclusionElevated symptoms of depression and anxiety are associated with the presence of MetS in US Hispanic subgroups. Gender-heritage differences are present among the study variables. Strategies to manage psychological well-being must be employed to optimize cardiometabolic health in US Hispanics.