Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[INFO-98-20]

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 Seleda Perryman, CDC

Assistant 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. Reader Evaluation of ATSDR's Public Health Assessment and

Consultation Products--(0923-0016)--Extension--ATSDR is seeking

qualitative and quantitative information from its readers on how

effectively it communicates its public health findings through its

products and to find out what groups read and comment on ATSDR

documents. ATSDR will use the information to identify the strengths and

weaknesses of its reports from the reader's perspective, provide

feedback to our designated reviewers, health assessors and managers,

implement quality improvements in readability, risk communication, and

the logical development of the science and findings in our public

health products, and determine how to best serve each reading group.

Based on review and evaluation of the comments received to date

through this process, a few changes are being proposed on the survey

instrument to improve several of the questions to make them clearer and

more understandable. In addition to follow up with public libraries and

repositories, included in the current OMB approval, other follow up

mechanisms will be added. Another aspect is also being proposed for

this request, a follow up to stimulate user participation in this

evaluation. Based on responses from January 1995 to December 1997, an

average of about 55 forms are distributed for each site (or document)

and about 2 persons respond per site (or per document). Based on the

number actually distributed (10,968) and received (398), the response

rate has only been about 3.6%. By actively following up on a sample of

200 distributed surveys and documents, we hope to increase the response

rate to about 75%. Other than their brief time to participate, there

are no costs involved for the responder to participate.

A one-page, two-sided survey is provided with each public health

document to persons who have requested to be on a mailing list to

receive a copy. Federal Depository Libraries are also used to provide

these documents and survey instruments. The persons receiving a

document either reside near the hazardous release area or site or have

been involved with the site or release in some way; they may include

concerned community members, public employees, health care

professionals, or some other group. The recipient is asked to complete

and return the survey, which has a business reply label that is postage

pre-paid. This is a request for a three-year extension. 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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Reader of public health document................ 130 1 0.25 33

Librarian follow-up............................. 180 1 0.12 22

Reader follow-up................................ 200 1 0.25 50

Nonresponder follow-up.......................... 100 1 0.25 25

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Total....................................... .............. .............. .............. 130

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2. Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program Quarterly Report

(0920-0282)--Extension--The National Center for Environmental Health

requests an extension of the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention

Program Quarterly Report. Section 317A of the Public Health Service Act

as amended by The Lead Contamination Control Act of 1988 and the

Preventive Health Amendments of 1992, mandates that grant applicants

report quarterly the number of infants and children screened for

elevated blood lead levels, the number found to have elevated blood

lead levels, the number and type of medical referrals made for them,

and the outcome of such referrals. State and local health agencies are

the principal delivery points for childhood lead screening and related

medical and environmental management activities. In FY 1998, CDC

awarded 41 grants to fund childhood lead poisoning

[[Page 30231]]

prevention programs. The purpose of the quarterly report is to report

data collected by CDC's grantees. The report consists of narrative and

data sections. The narrative section (1) provides highlights of

quarterly activities, (2) reports issues and activities that have

significant impact on the program, and (3) lists objectives and

discusses progress towards meeting those objectives. The data section

provides (1) screening and case confirmation activities, (2)

environmental inspection and hazard remediation activities, and (3)

medical case management activities. The total cost to the respondents

is $0.00.

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No. of Avg. burden/

Respondents No. of responses/ response (in Total burden

respondents respondent hrs.) (in hrs.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Grantees........................................ 41 4 2 328

Total....................................... .............. .............. .............. 328

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3. Evaluation of Effectiveness of Worker Notifications Conducted by

NIOSH--(New)--The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

(NIOSH) has conducted worker notification formally since 1988. This

program informs workers in NIOSH-conducted epidemiological studies

about the study results and hence, of their risks. NIOSH worker

notification officers conducted a two-task evaluation project approved

by OMB in 1993. Task 1 of the project evaluated the long-term impact of

a high risk worker notification, and Task 2 evaluated the short-term

impact and effectiveness of the notification materials themselves, with

the goal of developing a monitoring instrument for routine use. A

monitoring instrument was developed for routine use to evaluate

effectiveness of ongoing worker notification activities. This

instrument was refined over three field trials, involving a random

sample set of 25 notified workers in each trial. A second instrument

for use with other stakeholders (company and union officials) in the

notifications also was developed. The design of these evaluation

projects was descriptive in nature, gathering information from small

groups of workers, for the purpose of learning how to improve the NIOSH

worker notification program.

Having completed the data collection and final report for Task 2 of

the evaluation project, we now are seeking approval to use the program

monitoring worker survey instrument on a routine basis to assess

effectiveness of ongoing letter notifications conducted by NIOSH

notification officers. As with the design of the three trials in Task

2, ongoing routine assessment would include for each letter-type

notification, our contacting by telephone a random sample of 25 workers

who received notification letters and related materials, and at least

one company representative and one union representative (where

appropriate). A 15-minute telephone survey would be administered to the

notified workers, and an up to 30 minute interview would be conducted

with the other stakeholders (e.g., company and union representatives).

The total annual cost to respondents for the study is $1187.50.

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No. of

Respondents (workers) No. of responses/ Avg. burden/ Total burden

respondents respondent response (in hrs.)

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Task 1......................................... 750 1 .25 187.5

Task 2......................................... 60 1 .50 30

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Total...................................... .............. .............. .............. 217.5

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Dated: May 28, 1998.

Charles W. Gollmar,

Acting Associate Director for Policy Planning and Evaluation, Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

[FR Doc. 98-14646 Filed 6-2-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4163-18-P