[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 142 (Thursday, July 24, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43728-43729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-18801]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-03-100]


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: Workplace Exacerbation of Asthma (0920-0495)--
EXTENSION--National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health 
(NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
    Work-related asthma is the most common lung disease seen in 
occupational health clinics in the United States based on data from the 
Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics for 1991-1996. 
Work-related asthma includes both new onset asthma initiated by 
workplace exposures and pre-existing asthma exacerbated by workplace 
environments, because in both types of cases repeated exposure to 
asthmatic agents can lead to chronic pulmonary impairment. Also, the 
1985 American Thoracic Society statement ``What Constitutes an Adverse 
Health Effect of Air Pollution'' identified exacerbation of asthma as 
one of the serious effects of environmental air pollution. While 
anecdotal evidence suggests that as many as one-half of work-related 
asthma patients treated in occupational medicine clinics had pre-
existing asthma that was exacerbated by workplace conditions, there are 
few data from studies in the United States to support this claim.
    This study is investigating the frequency, causes, and consequences 
of workplace exacerbation of asthma (WEA). Given the diversity of 
workplace agents and processes associated with asthma, a population-
based, rather than industry-based, study is needed to ascertain the 
full extent of the problem. This will be achieved by surveying adults 
with asthma. The Specific Aims of the study are: (1) To determine the 
frequency of WEA. (2) To determine the work circumstances associated 
with exacerbation of asthma. (3) To determine the social and economic 
costs associated with WEA. (4) To determine the sensitivity and 
specificity of self-reported WEA. (5) To determine whether WEA 
contributes to progression of disease. The design is a prospective 
cohort study with a nested validation study. The study consists of 
three parts: a Baseline Study addressing Specific Aims 1-3, a 
Validation Study addressing Specific Aim 4, and a Follow-up Study 
addressing Specific Aim 5.
    To date, the Baseline Study telephone interviews have been 
completed with a total of 615 participants. Also, patient care records 
have been obtained in order to ascertain cost of care for asthma for 
each participant (Specific Aim 3). Currently, a subset of employed 
subjects with and without WEA are being enrolled in the Validation 
Study. All subjects from the Baseline Study will be asked to 
participate in the Follow-up study.
    The data collected in this study will be used to further current 
understanding of the frequency of workplace-exacerbated asthma, the 
social and economic impacts of this problem, and the implication of 
self-reporting WEA for subsequent asthma severity. This information can 
be used to prioritize resources for addressing this problem. The data 
collected in this study will also identify which jobs and exposures are 
likely to exacerbate existing asthma, thus providing guidance on where 
to focus preventive efforts. Collected data on the validity of self-
reporting WEA will be useful to both clinicians and researchers who 
attempt to treat or study individuals with this problem.
    There will be no costs to respondents.

[[Page 43729]]



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                                                                     Number of    Average burden
        Respondents (adults with asthma)             Number of      responses/     per response    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent      (in hours)      (in hours)
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Validation Study................................             200               1            7.51             500
Follow-up Study.................................             465               1           30/60             233
                                                 -----------------
    Total.......................................             665  ..............  ..............            1733
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    Dated: July 17, 2003.
Nancy E. Cheal,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 03-18801 Filed 7-23-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P