-Objective: To identify risk factors for dementia among the elderly in a rural area of Northeastern Brazil. Method: The subjects assessed were all 60 years old or older, and lived in a rural region of Bahia, a Northeastern State of Brazil. CAMDEX, a structured clinical evaluation protocol, was used for diagnosis, and applied at the home of the subjects. Results: The risk factors identified were divided in accordance with socio-demographic characteristics, the presence of co-morbid conditions, and the use of medications. The variables with strong association with dementia were age, history of stroke, arterial hypertension, and sight impairment. Conclusion: Advanced age, arterial hypertension, and vascular brain injury were the main risk factors associated with dementia, which suggests that public health measures adopted to prevent and control modifiable risk factors can mitigate the prevalence of high rates of dementia.KEy worDS: dementia, elderly, population aging, prevalence, risk factors. Fatores de risco para demência em uma área rural do nordeste do BrasilResumo -Objetivo: Identificar fatores de risco para demência entre idosos de uma área rural do nordeste do Brasil. Método: os indivíduos avaliados tinham 60 anos ou mais e viviam numa região rural na Bahia, Estado do nordeste brasileiro. Um protocolo de avaliação clínica estruturada -CAMDEX -foi utilizado para diagnóstico e aplicado no domicílio dos indivíduos participantes. Resultados: os fatores de risco identificados foram divididos de acordo com características sócio-demográficas, a presença de comorbidades e o uso de medicações. As variáveis com forte associação para demência foram idade, história de acidente vascular encefálico, hipertensão arterial e comprometimento visual. Conclusão: Idade avançada, hipertensão arterial e lesão vascular cerebral foram os principais fatores de risco associados com demência, o que sugere que medidas de saúde pública adotadas para prevenir e controlar fatores de risco modificáveis podem diminuir a prevalência de altas taxas de demência. PAlAvrAS-ChAvE: demência, envelhecimento, prevalência, fatores de risco. Dementia is a generic term that describes a chronic or progressive dysfunction of cortical and subcortical function that results in a complex cognitive decline. These dysfunctions are usually accompanied by personality, mood and/or behavior disorders 1 . Dementia is also a condition characterized by impairment of memory and of at least one other cognitive function (aphasia, apraxia, agnosia, executive dysfunction). The impairment must represent a decline from previous level of function, and must be severe enough to interfere with daily functions and independence 2 . The prevalence of dementia increases with age, and doubles every five years, ranging between 1% among people aged 60-64 years and 45% in individuals aged 85 or older [3][4][5][6] . Today, dementia is considered one of the major social burdens in developing countries 3,7 and accounts, worldwide, for 11.2% years lived with incapacity, in people a...