Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[INFO-98-04]

Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and

Recommendations

In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on

proposed data collection projects, the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects.

To request more information on the proposed projects or to obtain a

copy of the data collection plans and instruments, call the CDC Reports

Clearance Officer on (404) 639-7090.

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of

information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of

the agency, including whether the information shall have practical

utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the

proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality,

utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways

to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents,

including through the use of automated collection techniques for other

forms of information technology. Send comments to Wilma Johnson, CDC

Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D24, Atlanta, GA

30333. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this

notice.

Proposed Projects

1. Defining Gulf War Illness; New

This study will characterize and compare alternative

classifications for symptoms and functional disability which remain

medically unexplained in Gulf War veterans. This will be accomplished

in three phases. Phase I will assess persistence and stability of

symptoms over time, as well as compare the performance of data-driven

case definitions derived from two samples: (1) the New Jersey Center

for Environmental Hazards Research

[[Page 62061]]

sample of Gulf War veterans participating in the Department of Veterans

Affairs Gulf War Registry; and (2) a cohort of Air Force members from a

previous CDC study of Gulf War veterans and Gulf War-era controls from

Pennsylvania and Florida. In addition to assessing data-driven case

definitions for illness among Gulf War veterans, existing definitions

for medically unexplained symptoms, such as chronic fatigue syndrome,

multiple chemical sensitivity, and fibromyalgia will be evaluated.

Phase II will attempt to assess the generalizability of both derived

and existing case definitions in a random sample of deployed and non-

deployed Gulf War era veterans. Phase III will consist of a

standardized telephone interview for the assessment of psychiatric

conditions. This will be administered to a sample of Phase I and Phase

II participants who are identified through their responses to paper-

and-pencil questionnaires as having high levels of psychologic

distress. There is no cost to respondents.

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No. of Avg. Burden/

Respondents No. of Responses/ Response (in Total Burden

Respondents Respondent hrs.) (in hrs.)

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Administer questionnaire to the New Jersey

Center for Environmental Hazards Research

sample of the Department of Veterans Affairs

Gulf War Registry veterans and the previous CDC

Air Force Cohort (Phase)....................... 7,312 1 0.45 5,484

Administer questionnaire to new random sample of

Gulf War veterans and era controls (Phase II).. 3,000 1 .45 2,250

Telephone survey of Phase I and Phase II

participants who screened positive for

psychiatric conditions......................... 600 1 2 1,200

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Total....................................... .............. .............. .............. 8,934

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Dated: November 13, 1997.

Wilma G. Johnson,

Acting Associate Director for Policy Planning and Evaluation, Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

[FR Doc. 97-30477 Filed 11-19-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4163-18-P