[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 3, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17713-17714]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-8096]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30 DAY-20-01]


Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes a 
list of information collection requests under review by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35). To request a copy of these requests, call 
the CDC Reports Clearance Officer at (404) 639-7090. Send written 
comments to CDC, Desk Officer, Human Resources and Housing Branch, New 
Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503. Written 
comments should be received within 30 days of this notice.
    Proposed Project: Preventing Latex Allergy Among Non-Healthcare 
Workers--New--The mission of the National Institute for Occupational 
Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(CDC) is to promote ``safety and health at work for all people through 
research and prevention.'' In order to carry out this goal effectively 
and efficiently, NIOSH and the occupational safety and health community 
implemented the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) in 1996. 
NORA is the first step in an ongoing, synergistic effort by the various 
institutions of the occupational safety and health community to 
identify and research the most important workplace safety and health 
issues. In order to accomplish the NORA objectives in preventing latex 
allergy, NIOSH is conducting health communication research to determine 
the most effective means of communicating the NIOSH recommendations for 
preventing latex allergy.
    Allergy to natural rubber latex (NRL) has become a significant 
health risk among healthcare workers and other persons using latex 
gloves in the course of their work [NIOSH 1997; Turjanmaa et. al. 1996; 
Watts et. al. 1998]. A number of studies indicate that levels of latex 
sensitization in healthcare workers ranges from 5-12 percent [Liss and 
Sussman 1999]. One study indicated that the prevalence of latex 
sensitivity among 1,351 healthcare workers was 12.1 percent; and of 
that same 1,351 workers, 60 percent reported work-related symptoms 
[Liss et. al. 1997]. Despite the numerous studies performed in this 
population, little is known about the non-healthcare worker 
occupations. Occupational asthma and symptoms of latex allergy have 
been reported in select groups including hairdressers, workers at a 
latex glove manufacturing plant, and workers at a latex doll 
manufacturing plant. Prevalence rates up to 11 percent have been 
reported in these studies (11 percent and 9 percent, respectively, in 
the latter two studies) [Orfan et. al. 1994; Tarlo et. al. 1990; van 
der Walle and Brunsveld 1995). Although the prevalence rate for other 
non-healthcare worker populations is unknown, these studies indicate 
that workers exposed to latex gloves or products containing latex may 
also be at risk for latex allergy.
    In 1997, NIOSH published an ALERT concerning the risk of latex 
allergy in the workplace [NIOSH 1997]. This Alert provided specific 
recommendations to workers for the prevention of latex allergy and was 
distributed to workplaces most likely to contain latex exposure (i.e., 
care establishments). Since occupations reporting less frequent use of 
latex gloves or exposure to latex-containing products may also be at 
risk for latex allergy, it is important to design appropriate health 
interventions for these occupational groups as well. Therefore, the 
overall objective of this study is to develop a health intervention 
that 1) effectively communicates the NIOSH recommendations for 
preventing latex allergy to the appropriate, at-risk non-healthcare 
worker occupations and 2) promotes the use of the recommendations 
through corresponding attitude and behavior change.
    To accomplish this task, we propose to conduct a systematic, 
communication theory-based set of studies with a brochure adapted from 
the NIOSH Alert on latex allergy as the primary attitude concept. These 
experiments will be targeted at five non-healthcare worker occupational 
groups (hair dressers, daycare workers, police officers, food handlers, 
and housekeeping personnel). The framing postulate of the Prospect 
Theory and the Elaboration Likelihood Model will serve as the basis of 
the study [Tversky and Kahneman 1981; Petty and Cacioppo 1986] in which 
the combined effect of message framing and message expectancy on 
elaboration likelihood will be assessed. Specifically, participants 
will be randomly assigned to the conditions of a 2 (message framing: 
positive vs. negative), 2 (message expectancy: positive vs. negative), 
2 (argument quality: strong vs. stronger) factorial design and given a 
pretest, brochure with the appropriate test variables, and post test. 
In addition, the participants will be surveyed for a history of latex 
glove usage, allergy, latex allergy, or dermatitis in either themselves 
or their family members to determine if a history of allergy or glove 
usage predisposes them to be highly involved with the subject of latex 
allergy. Finally, the effect of the intervention on receiver attitude 
toward latex allergy and corresponding use of NIOSH recommendations one 
month following the intervention will be determined. The study will 
include several phases. First, effective communication variables will 
be identified in the pretesting phase and incorporated into test 
brochures. In addition, pre-test and post-test surveys will be 
pretested. A total of 160 participants will be recruited for the 
pretesting phase. In the second phase, the pilot test, the effect of 
message framing and message expectancy on elaboration likelihood will 
be assessed in a small scale, laboratory study. This pilot test will be 
conducted with a sample of university students (N = 300) who 
occasionally to intermittently wear latex gloves. Conducting the first 
study in the laboratory setting allows for consistent control over 
external variables during message pretesting, implementation, and 
testing. The knowledge obtained from this study will be used to improve 
the versions of the brochure to be used in the last phase, one study 
for each of the five occupational groups (a total of five studies). The 
goal of each study will be

[[Page 17714]]

to determine the effect of message framing and message expectancy 
manipulations in increasing the receiver's elaboration about latex 
allergy prevention among five different occupational groups (N = 300 
per group or 1,500 total participants). In addition, change in attitude 
and behavior will be assessed one month after exposure to the brochure. 
These combined studies will test the use of message framing and 
contrasts in message expectancy in applied health communication 
research. Specifically, the studies will assess the effectiveness of 
these communication variables in influencing attitude, intentions, and 
behavior concerning the prevention of latex allergy. The results and 
conclusions drawn from this project will be used to develop a health 
communication template based on message framing and increased 
systematic message processing.
    Overall, this study will contribute significantly to the knowledge 
concerning application of the message framing theory, provide NIOSH 
with specific recommendations for effective health communication, and 
provide a template for future health interventions. In addition, this 
study will identify effective methods of communicating health and 
safety messages to those populations not normally reached by NIOSH.
    The total annual burden for this data collection is 1,820 hours.

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                                                                                     Number of        Average
         Respondents                         Phase                   Number of      Responses/      Burden per
                                                                    Respondents     Respondent       Response
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Daycare workers, housekeeping  Pretest Phase 1..................             150               1           60/60
 personnel, foodservice
 personnel, hairdressers,
 police officers.
Daycare workers, housekeeping  Pretest Phase II.................              10               1          120/60
 personnel, foodservice
 personnel, hairdressers,
 police officers.
Daycare workers, housekeeping  Pilot Test.......................             300               1           30/60
 personnel, foodservice
 personnel, hairdressers,
 police officers.
Daycare workers, housekeeping  Main Study.......................           1,500               2           15/60
 personnel, foodservice
 personnel, hairdressers,
 police officers.
Daycare workers, housekeeping  Followup Study...................           1,500               1           30/60
 personnel, foodservice
 personnel, hairdressers,
 police officers.
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    Dated: March 28, 2001.
Nancy E. Cheal,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning, and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 01-8096 Filed 4-2-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P