Objective: To analyze the factors affecting the response rate of telephone follow-up for patients with colorectal cancer after hospital discharge, so as to provide information to help improve the response rate. Methods: Using stratified sampling, 508 patients with colorectal cancer undergoing surgical treatment were included and, after 26 cases who did not register their phone numbers were excluded, 482 cases finally met the study criteria. Telephone interview was conducted on these patients, the responses from the patients were recorded and response rate was calculated. The influences of the demographic factors, disease- and treatment-related factors, and other factors on the response rate were analyzed. Results: The overall response rate was 72.8% (351/482). The response rates among the patients of different geographic regions and professions had statistical differences (P=0.018 and P=0.031), and the dialing times, telephone types as well as whether the patients had a family history of cancer or not also significantly influenced the response rate (P=0.006, P=0.006 and P=0.040), However, the sex, age, educational level, places of residence, forms of medical expenses payment, locations of tumor and TNM stages of the patients, as well as whether the patients underwent radical resection and had an ostomy or not had no significant influence on the response rate (all P>0.05). Conclusion: The overall response rate of telephone follow-up is still unsatisfactory in the patients with colorectal cancer after surgery. The geographic region and profession of the patients, and the dialing times, telephone types as well as whether the patients had a family history of cancer or not are important factors affecting the response rate of telephone follow-up.