[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 158 (Friday, August 15, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43699-43700]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-21658]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census


Long Term Care Survey (LTC)

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before October 14, 
1997.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
5327, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Sarah Higgins, Bureau of the Census, FOB 3, Room 
3356, Washington, DC 20233-8400, (301) 457-3801.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The LTC's general purpose is to characterize the health and 
functional status of the elderly population in the United States. The 
Census Bureau conducted LTC surveys in 1982, 1984, 1989, and 1994 under 
sponsorship from Duke University using funds received in a grant from 
the National Institute on Aging (NIA). Duke University and NIA propose 
the Census Bureau conduct a pretest in 1998 and the full scale survey 
again in 1999.
    Duke University will use the data and combine it with the data 
collected from prior surveys to determine how people's health care 
needs change over time. Planners and policy makers also use data from 
the survey to conduct research to improve Medicare services and to plan 
for a sound future for the Medicare program.

Sample Overview

    The survey sample has two components: ``longitudinal'' and ``aged 
in''. The longitudinal portion consists of 13,145 sample persons who 
responded to one or more of the previous four surveys. The aged in 
component consists of a total of 6,100 sample persons: 5,500 who turned 
65 since the 1994 survey and an additional 600 people who are 95 years 
and over. The total sample size is 19,245. Part of the sample is 
designated as the ``healthy'' segment. The ``healthy'' segment has 
approximately 1,550 sample people. Half these people are retained from 
the longitudinal component and half are randomly selected from the aged 
in component. These healthy people respond to only part of the 
community questionnaire; they do not receive the questions about 
disability or impairment. The LTC survey consists of a screener 
interview and, potentially, a community or institutional interview.

Pretest

    The Census Bureau with Duke University has decided to convert the 
LTC survey from a paper-and-pencil questionnaire to a computer-assisted 
personal interview (CAPI). We will conduct a pretest during the first 
half of fiscal year 1998 to test the CAPI instrument and survey 
procedures for the screener and community components. We will select 
500 sample persons in the Tucson, Arizona area for the screener 
questionnaire, of which approximately 100 will ``screen-in'' for the 
detailed community questionnaire. In the latter part of fiscal year 
1998, we will also conduct a small hothouse test for the institution 
CAPI instrument. This test will include 40 respondents living in 
nursing homes in the surrounding Washington, DC area.

Survey Process

    The Census Bureau's field representatives (FRs) conduct the 
screening interviews by telephone or by personal visit if the 
respondent cannot be reached by phone. FRs conduct all the community 
and institutional interviews through personal visits and capture data 
from the respondents via laptop computers. The Census Bureau transmits 
and stores the survey data on a microdata file and delivers the file to 
Duke University. Duke links the file with previous LTC data and appends 
it to administrative Medicare information. Duke sends copies of the 
file to the Michigan Archives on Aging. Duke analyzes the data and 
makes its findings known to NIA.

II. Method of Collection

    The LTC will be conducted by both personal visits and telephone 
interviews using computer-assisted (laptop) interviewing. An advance 
letter will be sent to respondents notifying them of the upcoming 
survey.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0607-0778 (expired 9/30/95).
    Form Number: There are no forms. We conduct all interviewing on 
laptop computers.
    Type of Review: Regular.
    Affected Public: Individuals.
    Estimated Number of Respondents:
    Fiscal Year 1998 (Pretest) 540.
    Fiscal Year 1999 (Survey Year) 19,245.
    Estimated Time Per Response:
    Fiscal Year 1998 (Pretest) 23 minutes.
    Fiscal Year 1999 (Survey Year) 31 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:
    Fiscal Year 1998 (Pretest) 205.
    Fiscal Year 1999 (Survey Year) 9,926.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: We do not expect respondents to incur 
any cost other than that of their time to respond.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 42, United States Code, Section 285e-1, and 
Title 15 United States Code, Section 1525 authorize this survey.

IV. Request for Comments

    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

[[Page 43700]]

(including hours and cost) 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 or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: August 11, 1997.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Management and 
Organization.
[FR Doc. 97-21658 Filed 8-14-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P