[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 39 (Thursday, February 27, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9085-9086]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-4598]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-03-43]


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: Work Organization, Cardiovascular Disease, and 
Depression Study--NEW--The National Institute for Occupational Safety 
and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
    Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and depression represent health 
problems of staggering proportion for the United States. An estimated 
60 million Americans, over half of whom are younger than 65 years of 
age, currently have some form of CVD and nearly 20% of all Americans 
will experience at least one episode of major depression during their 
lifetimes. In economic terms, the total yearly costs of CVD and 
depression in the United States have been estimated at $327 billion and 
$43 billion, respectively.
    In addition to being common and costly health problems, CVD and 
depression co-morbidity is frequent and recent studies have shown 
increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in depressed patients, 
implicating depression as a potential independent risk factor for CVD. 
Understanding the causes and etiologic relationships between these two 
illnesses represents a major challenge for public health researchers.
    In addition to traditionally recognized risk factors, occupational 
factors appear to play a role in the etiology of both CVD and 
depression. For example, studies of occupational groups have shown 
markedly different rates of CVD and depression that are too large to be 
explained by known risk factors alone, and it is generally inferred 
that chemical, physical and/or work organizational exposures must be 
involved. While of relatively recent origins, the term ``work 
organization'' has evolved to serve as a rubric that encompasses 
diverse workplace exposures (often called job stressors) such as 
psychological demands, limited job control, work role demands and 
shift-work. There is considerable evidence that such factors play a 
role in the etiology of both CVD and depression, but design and sample 
size limitations of existing studies make it difficult to establish a 
causal association and make specific public health recommendations.
    This proposed study will examine the relationships between specific 
job stressors, CVD and depression. To overcome the limitations of 
previous studies, we are proposing a five-year prospective study with a 
population of 20,000 workers, half of them women. Workers will be 
identified through 20 large businesses sampled from the four geographic 
Census regions of the U.S. Different types of businesses will be 
sampled in order to incorporate diverse types of jobs and work. 
Specific job stressors, perceived non-work stressors and general risk 
factors for CVD and depression will be assessed. To ascertain exposures 
and outcomes, the study will rely on employee medical records, blood 
samples, and both self-reports and work-site assessments of job 
conditions. Several instruments to evaluate the work environment will 
be used, including the NIOSH Generic Job Stress Questionnaire, which 
assess a variety of job stressors, as well as other relevant aspects of 
the work environment.
    This request is for three years of the five-year proposed data 
collection with a total of 57,646 burden hours, and an estimated 
annualized burden of 19,215 hours. There is no cost to respondents.

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                                                                     Number of    Average burden/
                      Data                           Number of      responses/     response (in    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent        hours)        (in hours)
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Baseline Interview/Blood Collection Biometrics..          21,993               1           75/60          27,491
Medical Records for Baseline....................           4,398               1           30/60           2,199

[[Page 9086]]

 
Follow-up Interview 1...........................          17,594               1           30/60           8,797
Refusal Questionnaire...........................           4,399               1            5/60             367
Medical Records for Follow-up 1.................           3,519               1           30/60           1,760
Follow-up Interview 2...........................          14,995               1           30/60           7,498
Refusal Questionnaire...........................           2,639               1            5/60             220
Medical Records for Follow-up 2.................           2,999               1           30/60           1,500
Follow-up Interview 3...........................          12,712               1           30/60           6,356
Refusal Questionnaire...........................           2,243               1            5/60             187
Medical Records for Follow-up 3.................           2,542               1           30/60           1,271
                                                                                                 ---------------
    Total.......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............          57,646
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    Dated: February 18, 2003.
Thomas Bartenfeld,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 03-4598 Filed 2-26-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P