Participants' characteristics in a French colorectal cancer mass screening campaign.

Background: Participation by the target population is clearly a key element in the success of mass screening programs for colorectal cancer. In France, involvement of general practitioners in test distribution is essential to reach a satisfactory participation rate, but other forms of recruitment also have to be organized. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of demographic characteristics such as sex, age, and place of residence on the participation rate in a French mass screening according to different recruitment methods.

Involvement of general practitioners in mass screening. Experience of a colorectal cancer mass screening programme in the Calvados region (France).

Good compliance with screening programmes is essential and experience from ongoing studies points to the importance of involving general practitioners (GPs). The aim of this study was to evaluate factors influencing the participation of GPs in a screening programme, as well as acceptance of the test by the population. Fifty GPs were randomly chosen among the 117 practices of three districts in Calvados (France) where haemoccult test-based mass screening for colorectal cancer was underway.