[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 246 (Tuesday, December 23, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74241-74242]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-31524]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-04-16]


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 Seleda Perryman, CDC 
Assistant Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-E11, 
Atlanta, GA 30333. Written

[[Page 74242]]

comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.
    Proposed Project: Mechanisms of Foodborne Infectious Disease 
Outbreaks--New--Epidemiology Program Office (EPO), Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention (CDC).
    This study will systematically determine how local and state health 
departments find out about disease outbreaks. While it is assumed that 
speed and accuracy of outbreak detection can be improved, there is 
little reported analysis of current detection methods at the state and 
local levels. Great attention is being focused on improving infectious 
disease outbreak detection in the United States (U.S.), heightened by 
concerns of U.S. vulnerability to bioterrorist attack, and the 
inclusion of the development of enhanced syndromic surveillance 
systems. This information can be used to identify ineffective 
successful methods, and to motivate investments in alternative methods 
for outbreak detection.
    The investigation will consist of a collection of available 
documentation about the outbreak and administration of a questionnaire 
to the local or state health department representative who identified 
each of 250 different outbreaks, which are sampled from the Electronic 
Foodborne Outbreak Reporting System (EFORS) database. The questionnaire 
will consist of both closed- and open-ended items, and will be 
administered via Web-form or telephone interview. The initial 250 
outbreak sample will be stratified by State, partly in order to 
reasonably distribute survey burden. With an anticipated 80% response 
rate, the final sample will be approximately 200 outbreaks (and 
respondents).
    Additional efforts to reduce survey burden will include completion 
of as many of the questionnaire items as possible prior to 
administration (based on supporting documents), and Web-form or 
telephone administration options. There will be no cost to respondents.

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                                                                      No. of      Average burden
                   Respondents                        No. of       responses per   per response    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent      (in hours)      (in hours)
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State and Local Health Departments                           200               1               1             200
 Representatives................................
    Total.......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............             200
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    Dated: December 16, 2003.
Alvin Hall,
Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 03-31524 Filed 12-22-03; 8:45 am]
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