[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 168 (Friday, August 29, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52040-52041]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-22101]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-02-112]


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 at (404) 639-7090.
    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 Seleda Perryman, 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: Weekly Morbidity and Mortality Reports and Annual 
Morbidity Series--OMB 0920-0007--Extension--Epidemiology 
Program Office (EPO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 
In 1878, Congress authorized the U. S. Marine Hospital Service (later 
renamed the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) to collect morbidity 
reports on cholera, smallpox, plague, and yellow fever from U.S. 
consuls overseas; this information was to be used for instituting 
quarantine measures to prevent the introduction and spread of these 
diseases into the United States. In 1879, a specific Congressional 
appropriation was made for the collection and publication of reports of 
these notifiable diseases. Congress expanded the authority for weekly 
reporting and publication in 1893 to include data from state and 
municipal authorities throughout the United States. To increase the 
uniformity of the data, Congress enacted a law in 1902 directing the 
Surgeon General of the Public Health Service (PHS) to provide forms for 
the collection and compilation of data and for the publication of 
reports at the national level.
    Reports on notifiable diseases were received from very few states 
and cities prior to 1900, but gradually more states submitted monthly 
and annual summaries. In 1912, state and territorial health 
authorities--in conjunction with PHS--recommended immediate telegraphic 
reports of five diseases and monthly reporting by letter of 10 
additional diseases, but it was not until after 1925 that all states 
reported regularly. In 1942, the collection, compilation, and 
publication of morbidity statistics, under the direction of the 
Division of Sanitary Reports and Statistics, PHS, was transferred to 
the Division of Public Health Methods, PHS.
    A PHS study in 1948 led to a revision of the morbidity reporting 
procedures, and in 1949 morbidity reporting activities were transferred 
to the National Office of Vital Statistics. Another committee in PHS 
presented a revised plan to the Association of State and Territorial 
Health Officers (ASTHO) at its meeting in Washington, DC, October 1950. 
ASTHO authorized a Conference of State and Territorial Epidemiologists 
(CSTE) for the purpose of determining the diseases that should be 
reported by the states to PHS. Beginning in 1951, national meetings of 
CSTE were held every two years until 1974, then annually thereafter.
    In 1961, responsibility for the collection of data on nationally 
notifiable diseases and deaths in 122 U.S. cities was transferred from 
the National Office of Vital Statistics to CDC. For 37 years the 
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) has consistently served as 
CDC premier communication channel for disease outbreaks and trends in 
health and health behavior. In collaboration with the Council of State 
and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE), CDC has demonstrated the 
efficiency and effectiveness of computer transmission of data. The data 
collected electronically for publication in the MMWR provides 
information which CDC and State epidemiologists use to detail and more 
effectively interrupt outbreaks. Reporting also provides the timely 
information needed to measure and demonstrate the impact of changed 
immunization laws or a new therapeutic measure. Users of data include, 
but are not limited to, congressional offices, state and local health 
agencies, health care providers, and other health related groups.
    The dissemination of public health information is accomplished 
through the MMWR series of publications. The publications consist of 
the MMWR, the CDC Surveillance Summaries, the Recommendations and 
Reports, and the Annual Summary of Notifiable Diseases. There are no 
costs to respondents.

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                                                 Number of       Frequency of   Average time of    Annual hour
             Type of respondents                respondents        response         response          burden
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State and Local Health Departments..........             179               52            30/60            4,654
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[[Page 52041]]

 
    Total...................................  ...............  ...............  ...............          4, 654
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    Dated: August 25, 2003.
Nancy E. Cheal,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 03-22101 Filed 8-28-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P