Objective To determine the prevalence of cognitive impairment and its influencing factors in rural elderly in Sichuan Province. Methods A multi-stage random sampling method was adopted to select participants in six towns and eighteen administrative villages in Fushun and Lizhou. The cognitive functions of 1 065 rural elderly were assessed. Factors associated with cognitive impairments of the rural elderly were identified. Results About 39.9% of the rural elderly had cognitive impairments. Gender, age, marital status, educational attainment, regular physical activities, quality of life and social support were associated with cognitive impairments. Conclusion The prevalence of cognitive impairments in rural elderly in Sichuan is high in comparison with national and international averages. Targeted interventions are needed based on the identified influencing factors.
