The purpose of this study is to analyze the 'Bedridden period before death (BPbd)' and factors relating to it in a community. In the period from January 1986 through December 1988, 352 persons aged 40 years and over were recorded as having died in a rural town with a population of 13,000 in Yamagata Prefecture. The care-givers of 312 subjects (88.6%) were interviewed regarding the BPbd, and demographic, medical, social and familial factors were also investigated. Results obtained are as follows; 1) Subjects who had more than six months BPbd were more frequent in females than in males. 2) Neither age of death nor age of the bedridden had any significant relationship to BPbd in either sex. 3) Positive significant factors relating to BPbd were, occupation (male), history of cerebrovascular diseases (both sexes), care-giver knowledge of health or social services in the town (both sexes) and the presence of pressure sores (both sexes). 4) About half of the subjects had less than two weeks BPbd, though less than 20% of the subjects had more than six months BPbd. This result agreed with that of the national report, "TSUI-NO MITORI CHOSA", where subjects ranged in age from 70 to 85. These results indicate that in the study community most of the adults, including the elderly, have a fairly short BPbd.