[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 74 (Wednesday, April 17, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 18910]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-9385]



[[Page 18910]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30DAY-25-02]


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) 498-1210. 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: Weekly Morbidity and Mortality Reports and Annual 
Morbidity Series--OMB #0920-0007--Extension--Epidemiology Program 
Office (EPO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 
1878, Congress authorized the U.S. Marine Hospital Service (later 
renamed the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS)) to collect morbidity 
reports on cholera, smallpox, plague, and yellow fever from U.S. 
consuls overseas; this information was to be used for instituting 
quarantine measures to prevent the introduction and spread of these 
diseases into the United States. In 1879, a specific Congressional 
appropriation was made for the collection and publication of reports of 
these notifiable diseases. The authority for weekly reporting and 
publication was expanded by Congress in 1893 to include data from state 
and municipal authorities throughout the United States. To increase the 
uniformity of the data, Congress enacted a law in 1902 directing the 
Surgeon General of the Public Health Service (PHS) to provide forms for 
the collection and compilation of data and for the publication of 
reports at the national level.
    Reports on notifiable diseases were received from very few states 
and cities prior to 1900, but gradually more states submitted monthly 
and annual summaries. In 1912, state and territorial health authorities 
in conjunction with PHS recommended immediate telegraphic reports of 
five diseases and monthly reporting by letter of 10 additional 
diseases, but it was not until after 1925 that all states reported 
regularly. In 1942, the collection, compilation, and publication of 
morbidity statistics, under the direction of the Division of Sanitary 
Reports and Statistics, PHS, was transferred to the Division of Public 
Health Methods, PHS.
    A PHS study in 1948 led to a revision of the morbidity reporting 
procedures, and in 1949 morbidity reporting activities were transferred 
to the National Office of Vital Statistics. Another committee in PHS 
presented a revised plan to the Association of State and Territorial 
Health Officers (ASTHO) at its meeting in Washington, DC, October 1950. 
ASTHO authorized a Conference of State and Territorial Epidemiologists 
(CSTE) for the purpose of determining the diseases that should be 
reported by the states to PHS. Beginning in 1951, national meetings of 
CSTE were held every two years until 1974, then annually thereafter.
    In 1961, responsibility for the collection of data on nationally 
notifiable diseases and deaths in 122 U.S. cities was transferred from 
the National Office of Vital Statistics to CDC. For 37 years the 
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) has consistently served as 
CDC's premier communication channel for disease outbreaks and trends in 
health and health behavior. In collaboration with the Council of State 
and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE), CDC has demonstrated the 
efficiency and effectiveness of computer transmission of data. The data 
collected electronically for publication in the MMWR provides 
information which CDC and State epidemiologists use to detail and more 
effectively interrupt outbreaks. Reporting also provides the timely 
information needed to measure and demonstrate the impact of changed 
immunization laws or a new therapeutic measure.
    Users of data include, but are not limited to, congressional 
offices, state and local health agencies, health care providers, and 
other health related groups.
    The dissemination of public health information is accomplished 
through the MMWR series of publications. The publications consist of 
the MMWR, the CDC Surveillance Summaries, the Recommendations and 
Reports, and the Annual Summary of Notifiable Diseases. The estimated 
annualized burden is 4,654 hours.

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                                                                  Number of       Frequency of   Average time of
                     Type of respondents                         respondents        response         response
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State and Local Health Departments...........................             179               52            30/60
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    Dated: April 10, 2002.
Nancy E. Cheal,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 02-9385 Filed 4-16-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P