[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 165 (Tuesday, August 26, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51269-51270]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-21733]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30Day-63-03]


Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

    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; or by fax 
to (202) 395-6974. Written comments should be received within 30 days 
of this notice.
    Proposed Project: Work and Health Study: Risk Factors for Heart 
Disease and Depression in the Workplace--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 percent 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 57,721 burden hours, and an average 
annualized burden of 28,860 hours.

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                                                                                     Number of    Average burden/
                              Data                                   Number of      responses/     response (in
                                                                    respondents     respondent        hours)
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Baseline Interview/Blood Collection Biometrics..................          21,993               1           75/60
Medical Records for Baseline....................................           4,398               1           30/60
Employer Information............................................              15               1               5
Follow-up Interview 1...........................................          17,594               1           30/60
Refusal Questionnaire...........................................           4,399               1            5/60
Medical Records for Follow-up 1.................................           3,519               1           30/60
Follow-up Interview 2...........................................          14,995               1           30/60
Refusal Questionnaire...........................................           2,639               1            5/60
Medical Records for Follow-up 2.................................           2,999               1           30/60
Follow-up Interview 3...........................................          12,712               1           30/60
Refusal Questionnaire...........................................           2,243               1            5/60
Medical Records for Follow-up 3.................................           2,542               1           30/60
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[[Page 51270]]

    Dated: August 19, 2003.
Nancy E. Cheal,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 03-21733 Filed 8-25-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P