[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 245 (Tuesday, December 22, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70754-70755]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-33770]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census


Informal Caregiver Survey (ICS) Component of the 1999 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 February 22, 
1999.

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 Bureau of the Census plans to conduct the Informal Caregivers 
Survey (ICS) as a component of the Long Term Care Survey (LTC) which 
collects information on the health and functional status of the elderly 
population in the United States. The purpose of the ICS is to collect 
information on the persons who provide help to respondents identified 
as impaired by the LTC. The Census Bureau last conducted the ICS as a 
component of the 1989 LTC. It was not conducted in conjunction with the 
1994 LTC. Sponsorship for the ICS component comes from Duke University 
using funds received in a grant from the Office of the Assistant 
Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, the U.S. Department of Health 
and Human Services and the National Institute on Aging.
    Duke University will use the data to obtain information about the 
experiences of people who care for relatives and friends. The ICS will 
obtain information on how older Americans and their helpers are coping 
with health problems and the money problems that go with them. The 
survey will seek to obtain information on how it is possible for some 
of the nation's elderly to remain in their homes while others cannot, 
and how caregivers are coping with this challenge.

Sample Overview

    The LTC survey consists of a screener interview and, potentially, a 
community or institutional interview. The community interview is given 
to respondents who live in their own home while the institutional 
interview is conducted for respondents who are living in nursing 
facilities. During the community interview, we collect information on 
the people who provide help or assistance to the LTC respondent. For 
the ICS sample, we will select the caregiver, if any, who has provided 
the LTC respondent with the most help during the week prior to the 
interview. The sample of caregivers is restricted to unpaid helpers or 
family members. We will attempt to select a caregiver for every LTC 
respondent. We, however, will select only one caregiver per respondent.

Survey Process

    The Census Bureau's field representatives (FRs) will attempt to 
conduct the ICS immediately after completing the community interview. 
If the caregiver is not present the interview will be conducted by 
phone or personal visit, if necessary. All data is transmitted to the 
Census Bureau where it is reviewed.
    After review, the Census Bureau stores the survey data on a 
microdata file and delivers the file to Duke University. Duke analyzes 
the data and makes its findings known to NIA.

II. Method of Collection

    The ICS will be conducted by both personal visits and telephone 
interviews

[[Page 70755]]

using computer-assisted (laptop) interviewing. An advance letter will 
be provided to each caregiver at the time of the interview.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0607-0778 (expires 6/30/01).
    Form Number: There are no forms. We conduct all interviewing on 
laptop computers.
    Type of Review: Regular.
    Affected Public: Individuals.
    Estimated Number of ICS Respondents: We expect to ask 3,200 
informal caregivers to participate in the ICS.
    Estimated ICS Interview Length: We estimate that the ICS interview 
will take 30 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: The ICS will increase the 
burden of the LTC by 1600 hours.
    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 
(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: December 16, 1998.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-33770 Filed 12-21-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P