Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[INFO-98-30]

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 Assistant

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 M. Perryman,

Assistant CDC Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D24,

Atlanta, GA 30333. Written comments should be received within 14 days

of this notice.

Proposed Projects

1. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)--

(0920-0237)--Revision--The National Health and Nutrition Examination

Survey (NHANES) has been conducted periodically since 1970 by the

National

[[Page 53674]]

Center for Health Statistics, CDC. The NHANES will begin again in

February 1999 and will be conducted on a continuous, rather than

periodic, basis from that point on. The plan is to sample about 5,000

persons annually. They will receive an interview and a physical

examination. A dress rehearsal of 555 sample persons is needed to test

computer-assisted personal interviews (including translations into

Spanish), examination protocols, automated computer systems and quality

control procedures. Participation in the dress rehearsal and main

survey will be completely voluntary and confidential.

NHANES programs produce descriptive statistics which measure the

health and nutrition status of the general population. Through the use

of questionnaires, physical examinations, and laboratory tests, NHANES

studies the relationship between diet, nutrition and health in a

representative sample of the United States. NHANES monitors the

prevalence of chronic conditions and risk factors related to health

such as coronary heart disease, arthritis, osteoporosis, pulmonary and

infectious diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol,

obesity, smoking, drug and alcohol use, environmental exposures, and

diet. NHANES data are used to establish the norms for the general

population against which health care providers can compare such patient

characteristics as height, weight, and nutrient levels in the blood.

Data from NHANES can be compared to those from previous surveys to

monitor changes in the health of the U.S. population. NHANES will also

establish a national probability sample of genetic material for future

genetic research for susceptibility to disease.

Users of NHANES data include Congress; the World Health

Organization; Federal agencies such as NIH, EPA, and USDA; private

groups such as the American Heart Association; schools of public

health; private businesses; individual practitioners; and

administrators. NHANES data are used to establish, monitor, and

evaluate recommended dietary allowances, food fortification policies,

programs to limit environmental exposures, immunization guidelines and

health education and disease prevention programs. Approval was received

on 5/29/98 for only a pilot test of the revised survey--without the

genetic research component. This submission is time-sensitive and

requests emergency approval just so the dress rehearsal and the start

of the survey will not be delayed. Another submission requesting three

year approval for the dress rehearsal and the full survey will be filed

on a normal, non-emergency schedule.

The survey description, contents, and uses are the same as those in

the Federal Register notice for the pilot test. The total cost to

respondents for the period covered by this notice and the related

request for OMB approval (from 2/99-1/02) is estimated at $1,889,440.

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Number of Avg. burden

Respondents Number of responses/ per response Total burden

respondents respondent (in hrs.) (in hrs.)

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1. Screening interview only..................... 40,401 1 0.167 6,747

2. Screener and household interviews only....... 2,130 1 0.434 924

3. Screener, household, and SP interviews only.. 3,198 1 1.100 3,518

4. Screener, household, and SP interviews and

primary MEC exam only.......................... 15,771 1 6.613 104,294

5. Screener, household, and SP interviews,

primary MEC exam and full MEC replicate exam... 789 1 11.613 9,163

6. Screener, household, and SP interviews, MEC

exam and dietary replicate interview only (5% +

optional 15%).................................. 3,156 1 8.363 26,394

7. Home exam.................................... 213 1 2.700 575

8. Telephone followup of elderly-option......... 3,501 1 0.750 2,626

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Total....................................... .............. .............. .............. 154,240

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Charles Gollmar,

Deputy Director for Policy Planning and Evaluation Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention (CDC).

[FR Doc. 98-26710 Filed 10-5-98; 8:45 am]

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