[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 19 (Tuesday, January 29, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4275-4276]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-2115]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Behavioral and 
Environmental Risk Factors for Childhood Drowning

SUMMARY: 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 National Institute of Child 
Health and Human Development (NICHD), the National Institutes of Health 
(NIH) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects to be 
submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval.
    Proposed Collection Title: Behavioral and Environmental Risk 
Factors for Childhood Drowning. Type of Information Collection Request: 
NEW. Need and Use of Information Collection: The proposed study seeks 
to determine the relationship between swimming lessons, swimming 
ability, and other risk or protective factors on the one hand, and the 
risk of drowning on the other. Drowning is the second leading cause of 
unintentional injury death among children in the United States. 
Children under the age of five years are at particularly increased risk 
with drowning rates peaking among 1-2 year olds. Adolescent males are 
also at increased risk. While some preventive strategies, such as pool 
fencing, are known to be effective, the impact of other preventive 
strategies is unclear. For example, it is estimated that at least 20% 
of children between the ages of 1-4 years participate in formal 
swimming instructions, yet the effect of these instructions on the risk 
of drowning is unknown. Some argue that early exposure to swimming 
lessons might increase the risk of drowning by increasing exposure and 
decreasing children's fear of the water. Among adolescents, there is 
some indirect evidence that more skilled swimmers may be at increased 
risk of drowning. Better swimmers are likely to participate in more 
water-related activities and may feel confident enough to swim in 
higher risk settings, such as remote natural bodies of water with no 
lifeguards present. The findings from this study will provide valuable 
information concerning risk and protective factors for childhood 
drownings, information that is crucial in directing future preventive 
efforts. The proposed study will utilize a case-control methodology to 
identify associations between behavioral and environmental factors and 
the risk of drowning.
    Interviews will be conducted with parents/guardians of 1500 
children. Additionally, interviews may be conducted with approximately 
400 adolescents (ages 12 ``19 years) to assess risk behaviors related 
to water activities. Interviews will be conducted over a 27 month study 
period. Frequency of Response: Two occasions. Affected Public: 
Individuals or households. Type of Respondents: Parents or Guardians, 
Adolescents. The annual reporting burden is as follows: Estimated 
Number of Respondents: 1,900; Estimated Number of Responses per 
Respondent: 2; Average Burden Hours Per Response: 0.33; and Estimated 
Total Annual Burden Hours Requested: 557. There are no Capital Costs, 
Operating Costs and/or Maintenance Costs to report.
    Request for Comments: Written comments and/or suggestions from the 
public and affected agencies are invited on one or more of the 
following points: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper

[[Page 4276]]

performance of the function of the agency, including whether the 
information will have practical utility; (2) The accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (4) Ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on those who are to respond, including the 
use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other 
technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and 
instruments, contact: Charles Grewe, Contracting Officer, NICHD, NIH. 
Address: 6100 Executive Blvd., Suite 7A07, Bethesda, MD 20892-7510 ; e-
mail address [email protected]; Phone: (301)496-4611 (collect calls can not 
be accepted).
    Comments Due Date: Comments regarding this information collection 
are best assured of having their full effect if received within 60-days 
of the date of this publication.

    Dated: January 15, 2002.
Thomas E. Hooven,
Associate Director for Administration, NICHD.
[FR Doc. 02-2115 Filed 1-28-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P