Objectives. To analyze the association between sociodemographic characteristics and participation in colorectal cancer screening using the fecal occult blood test (FOBT). Method. A sample of 6,599 individuals aged 50 to 74 from the 2002–2003 INSEE Decennial Health Survey who answered the question regarding FOBT use and were not being monitored for colorectal cancer was analyzed. Results. Thirty percent of men and 23% of women reported having undergone FOBT at some point in their lives, including 11% of men and 9% of women within the past two years. Men over the age of 54, with high socioeconomic status, who had seen their primary care physician at least once in the past year, and who were nonsmokers were more likely to have undergone FOBT within the past two years. Women over the age of 54 who had undergone a mammogram within the past two years and who resided in a department offering colorectal cancer screening were more likely to have undergone a TDSOS. Discussion-Conclusion. Among men, screening practices vary according to sociodemographic profile, whereas among women, screening participation is the determining factor. The results provide an overview of screening practices prior to the nationwide rollout of the organized screening program in 2008. (R.A.)