[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 10, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51672-51673]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-25071]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60-Day-01-65]


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 or other 
forms of information technology. NCID is requesting an emergency 
clearance from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to collect 
data under the Paperwork Reduction Act. Send comments to Seleda M. 
Perryman, CDC Assistant Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, 
MS-D24, Atlanta, GA 30333. Written comments should be received within 
14 days of this notice. We are requesting that OMB respond to CDC 
within 21 days after receipt of the package.
    Proposed Project: Questionnaires for State Epidemiologists 
Reporting Q Fever (Coxiella burnetti) and for State Laboratories 
Testing for Q Fever to Collect Retrospective Information on Numbers of 
Q fever Cases Reported between 1978-2000--New--National Center for 
Infectious Diseases (NCID), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(CDC). Q fever, caused by the rickettsial agent Coxiella burnetii, is 
considered a potential agent of bioterrorism. Q fever in humans was 
made nationally notifiable in the United States in 1999, and data are 
collected passively by CDC through the National Electronic 
Telecommunications System for Surveillance (NETSS). At the time Q fever 
was made nationally notifiable, approximately half of states already 
considered it a reportable disease. However, current information on how 
many states have changed their reporting criteria since 1999 or what 
reporting methods are used are not available, making it difficult to 
interpret data reported to NETSS. Q fever reporting data is available 
by state for the years 1948-1977, and complete annual NETSS data is 
available beginning in the year 2000. However, data for the years 1978-
1999 have never been collected. These data are vitally important to 
establish baseline rates of infection, providing immediate benefits in 
understanding the geographic distribution of Q fever in the United 
States. Without these data, it will take several years to acquire 
useful NETSS data to make the same assessments.
    The purpose of this study is to assess reporting practices for Q 
fever in each state, and to collect retrospective information on 
numbers of Q fever cases reported between 1978-2000. Respondents 
include an epidemiologist and laboratorian in every state. The results 
will be used to evaluate Q fever reporting practices in each state, in 
order to better assess the usefulness of NETSS-reported data. Data will 
also be used to examine the epidemiology of cases reported between 
1978-2000, including estimated incidence rates, geographic distribution 
maps, and demographic risk factors. There is no cost to the respondent 
other than their time. Time burden for response to Form A may vary, 
depending on whether there are cases of Q fever the state plans to 
report, but the average time to respond is 1 hour.

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                                                                    Number of      Avg. burden
                  Respondents                       Number of     responses per  per respondent  Total burden in
                                                   respondents     respondent       (in hrs.)         hours
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Part A: Epidemiologist.........................              50               1               1             50
Part B: State Laboratorians....................              50               1           15/60             12.5
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    Total......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............             62.5
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[[Page 51673]]

    Dated: September 28, 2001.
Nancy Cheal,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 01-25071 Filed 10-9-01; 8:45 am]
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