[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 64 (Thursday, April 3, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 16295]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-8059]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Pretesting of NCI Office of 
Communications Messages

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 Cancer Institute 
(NCI), 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: Pretesting of NCI Office of 
Communications Messages.
    Type of Information Collection Request: EXTENSION (OMB 
0925-0046, expires 8/31/03).
    Need and Use of Information Collection: In order to carry out NCI's 
legislative mandate to educate and disseminate information about cancer 
prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment to a wide variety of 
audiences and organizations (e.g, cancer patients, their families, the 
general public, health providers, the media, voluntary groups, 
scientific and medical organizations), the NCI Office of Communications 
(OC) needs to pretest its communications strategies, concepts, and 
messages while they are under development. The primary purpose of this 
pretesting, or formative evaluation, is to ensure that the messages, 
communication materials, and information services created by OC have 
the greatest capacity of being received, understood, and accepted by 
their target audiences. By utilizing appropriate qualitative and 
quantitative methodologies, OC is able to (1) understand 
characteristics of the intended target audience--their attitudes, 
beliefs, and behaviors--and use this information in the development of 
effective communication tools and strategies; (2) produce or refine 
messages that have the greatest potential to influence target audience 
attitudes and behavior in a positive manner; and (3) expend limited 
program resource dollars wisely and effectively.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; businesses or other for 
profit; not-for-profit institutions; Federal Government; State, Local, 
or Tribal Government.
    Type of Respondents: Adult cancer patients; members of the public; 
health care professionals; organizational representatives. The annual 
reporting burden is as follows:
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 13,780;
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1;
    Average Burden Hours Per Response: 1458, and
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours Requested: 2,010.
    There are no Capital Costs, Operating Cost, 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 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 Ellen Eisner, Consumer Research Manager, OC 
Director's Office, NCI, NIH, Building 31, Room 10A03, 9000 Rockville 
Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892, or call non-toll-free number (301) 435-7783 
or e-mail your request, including your address to: 
[email protected].
    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: March 24, 2003.
Reesa Nichols,
Project Clearance Liaison, NCI.
[FR Doc. 03-8059 Filed 4-2-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-M