TABLE 1.

Study inclusion criteria

Category	Criteria
Participants	Patients and/or caregivers of any socio‐demographic characteristics waiting any length of time to see a specialist for diagnosis or to undergo a medical procedure, where ‘procedure’ referred to tests or therapy performed in hospitals or outpatient clinics by any clinicians, therapists or technicians.
Issue	Impact of waiting on any aspect of mental health including but not limited to: anxiety, stress, distress, depression or psychological impact, etc
Comparisons	Exploring or describing the impact of waiting on mental health, determinants of the impact of waiting on mental health, and the effectiveness of strategies to support mental health while waiting. Determinants referred to characteristics or behaviours of patients, caregivers or health‐care professionals or characteristics of health‐care systems. Strategies referred to approaches, programmes, interventions or tools implemented to support mental health
Study design	Qualitative, quantitative or multiple/mixed methods. Reviews were not eligible, but we screened review references for eligible primary studies
Outcomes	Any mental health impact of waiting Related somatic, lifestyle or other behavioural sequelae Determinants of mental health among patients or caregivers Effectiveness (benefits, harms) of strategies for patients, caregivers, health‐care professionals or the health‐care system