We systematically searched published empirical research on depression and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and found 494 unique articles published in 2009. Herein, we present selected provocative findings or interesting controversies, and, where appropriate, we discuss the clinical implications of these findings.

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Objective To examine gender differences in the association between beliefs in heart disease preventability and 10-year incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) in a population-based sample. Methods 2,688 non-institutionalized Nova Scotians without prior CHD enrolled in the Nova Scotia Health Study (NSHS95) and were followed for 10 years. Risk factors, health behaviors and incident CHD were assessed. Participants responded “yes” or “no” to a question about heart disease preventability.Survival models, adjusted for age, income,total and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and systolic blood pressure, were used to estimate the relation between health belief and incident CHD. Gender differences in the relation between health beliefs and health behaviors were assessed. Results Gender was a significant moderator of the relation between belief and CHD incidence;specifically,women who believed heart disease could be prevented were less likely to have incident CHD events compared to women who believed heart disease could be not prevented (HR=0.36, 95% CI0.24-0.55, p <.001). This relation was not found for men. Belief was also related to smoking behavior for women (β = −0.70, OR= 0.50, 95% CI = 0.33-0.74, p =.001), but not men. Smoking significantly mediated the relation between health beliefs and incident CHD for women (z = −1.96, p =.05), but not for men. Conclusion Health belief in prevention and subsequent smokingwas an important independent predictor of incident coronary heart disease in women, but not men.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has overwhelmed health care systems worldwide, particularly in underresourced communities of color with a high prevalence of pre-existing health conditions. Many state governments and health care entities responded by increasing their capacity for telemedicine and disease tracking and creating mobile apps for dissemination of medical information. Our experiences with state-sponsored apps suggest that because many of these eHealth tools did not include community participation, they inadvertently contributed to widening digital health disparities. We propose that, as eHealth tools continue to expand as a form of health care, more attention needs to be given to their equitable distribution, accessibility, and usage. In this viewpoint collaboratively written by a minority-serving community-based organization and an eHealth academic research team, we present our experience participating in a community advisory board working on the dissemination of the COVID Alert NY mobile app to illustrate the importance of public participation in app development. We also provide practical recommendations on how to involve community representatives in the app development process. We propose that transparency and community involvement in the process of app development ultimately increases buy-in, trust, and usage of digital technology in communities where they are needed most.

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UNSTRUCTURED The rate and scale of transmission of COVID-19 overwhelmed healthcare systems worldwide, particularly in under-resourced communities of color that already faced a high prevalence of pre-existing health conditions. One way the health ecosystem has tried to address the pandemic is by creating mobile apps for telemedicine, dissemination of medical information, and disease tracking. As these new mobile health tools continue to be a primary format for healthcare, more attention needs to be given to their equitable distribution, usage, and accessibility. In this viewpoint collaboratively written by a community-based organization and a health app development research team, we present results of our systematic search and analysis of community engagement in mobile apps released between February and December 2020 to address the COVID-19 pandemic. We provide an overview of apps’ features and functionalities but could not find any publicly available information regarding whether these apps incorporated participation from communities of color disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. We argue that while mobile health technologies are a form of intellectual property, app developers should make public the steps taken to include community participation in app development. These steps could include community needs assessment, community feedback solicited and incorporated, and community participation in evaluation. These are factors that community-based organizations look for when assessing whether to promote digital health tools among the communities they serve. Transparency about the participation of community organizations in the process of app development would increase buy-in, trust, and usage of mobile health apps in communities where they are needed most.