Pre-pandemic suicidal ideation and COVID-19 preventive behavior: a prospective cohort study.

We investigated the association between suicidal ideation and COVID-19 preventive behaviors using a prospective observational longitudinal design (N = 6683). The baseline survey was 24 January 2020 (before COVID-19 pandemic, T1) and the follow-up survey was between April 27 and 30, 2020 (during COVID-19 pandemic, T2). The sample was the general adult population in Japan. Adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic factors, high suicidal ideation at T1 was associated with significantly low levels of engagement in COVID-19 preventive behaviors at T2. Individuals with strong suicidal ideation before the pandemic were less likely to engage in COVID-19 preventive behaviors.