[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 250 (Monday, December 30, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79635-79636]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-32959]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-03-31]


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)498-1210.
    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. Send comments to Anne O'Connor, CDC 
Assistant Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D24, 
Atlanta, GA 30333. Written comments should be received within 60 days 
of this notice.
    Proposed Project: Proposed Project: Work-Related Stress Among Coal 
Miners--NEW--The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 
(NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
    Work-related stress appears to increase the risk of atherosclerotic 
heart disease, musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain and carpal 
tunnel syndrome, and clinical depression. The mechanism by which stress 
increases the risk of chronic disease states is unknown, but it is 
thought to involve abnormal communication between the brain and the 
endocrine system. Dysfunction of this communication system, called the 
Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, is found in a number of 
chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease, diabetes, and 
rheumatoid arthritis. In a healthy individual, there is flexible 
communication between the hypothalamus and pituitary, both located in 
the brain, and the adrenal gland, located above the kidneys. When 
stresses occur throughout the day, cortisol is released from the 
adrenal gland in response to signals from the brain. Cortisol prepares 
the body to respond to stress, after which cortisol levels return to 
normal. Chronic stress, with protracted or repeated challenge to the 
HPA axis, may lead to inappropriate levels of cortisol, further decline 
of HPA axis function, and increased risk of chronic disease.
    This study will investigate the relationship between workplace 
stress and function of the HPA axis among a sample population of coal 
miners. Coal miners experience a number of work-related stresses such 
as long hours of work, heavy workloads, shift work, and concerns about 
stability of employment. Miners will be asked to complete a 25-minute 
survey which asks about traditional job stressors including shift 
schedule and rotation, workload, and degree of control over work. The 
survey also addresses stressors not typically examined in work stress 
surveys including time spent in second jobs, commuting time to work, 
and responsibilities for care of children and the elderly.
    Function of the HPA axis will be assessed by obtaining a series of 
cortisol samples from subjects right after they wake up in the morning. 
Recent studies have shown that the response of cortisol

[[Page 79636]]

to awakening, measured in saliva, serves as a good marker of HPA axis 
function. Miners will be asked to obtain saliva samples at home and 
send them to the NIOSH Morgantown laboratory for analysis.
    Analyses will examine the relationship between the cortisol 
response to awakening, an indicator of HPA axis function, and measures 
of workplace stress. Data collected in this study will help NIOSH 
determine if workplace stress results in HPA axis dysfunction, which 
has been linked to a number of chronic disease conditions. There will 
be no costs to respondents.

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                                                                    No. of       Average burden
                 Respondents                       No. of       responses per    per respondent    Total burden
                                                respondents       respondent       (in hours)       (in hrs.)
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Coal Miners.................................             500                1            25/60              208
                                             ------------------
          Total.............................             500                1            25/60              208
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    Dated: December 23, 2002.
John R. Moore,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 02-32959 Filed 12-27-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P