[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 45 (Monday, March 8, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10730-10731]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-5068]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

    In compliance with Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 concerning opportunity for public comment on proposed 
collections of information, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
Services Administration will publish periodic summaries of proposed 
projects. To request more information on the proposed projects or to 
obtain a copy of the information collection plans, call the SAMHSA 
Reports Clearance Officer on (301) 443-7978.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collections of 
information are 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.
    Proposed Project: 2004-2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: 
Methodological Field Tests--New--The National Survey on Drug Use and 
Health (NSDUH), formerly the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse 
(NHSDA), is a survey of the civilian, noninstitutionalized population 
of the United States 12 years of age and older. The data are used to 
determine the prevalence of use of tobacco products, alcohol, illicit 
substances, and illicit use of prescription drugs. The results are used 
by SAMHSA, ONDCP, Federal

[[Page 10731]]

government agencies, and other organizations and researchers to 
establish policy, direct program activities, and better allocate 
resources.
    This will be a request for generic approval for information 
collection for NSDUH methodological field tests designed to examine the 
feasibility, quality, and efficiency of new procedures or revisions to 
the existing survey protocol. These field tests will examine ways to 
increase data quality, lower operating costs, and gain a better 
understanding of various sources of nonsampling error. If these tests 
provide successful results, current procedures may be revised and 
incorporated into the main study (e.g., questionnaire changes). 
Particular attention will be given to minimizing the impact of design 
changes so that survey data continue to remain comparable over time.
    Field test activities are expected to include validating new 
questions on depression; examining data reliability through the use of 
test-retest procedures; improving response rates among persons residing 
in controlled access communities (locked apartment buildings, gated 
communities, college dormitories, etc.), persons aged 50 or over, and 
other hard-to-reach populations; and conducting a nonresponse follow-up 
study. Cognitive laboratory testing will be conducted prior to the 
implementation of significant questionnaire modifications. These 
questionnaire modifications will also be pre-tested and the feasibility 
of text-to-speech software determined. To understand the effectiveness 
of the current monetary incentive, a new incentive study will be 
conducted with varying incentive amounts. The relationship between 
incentives and veracity of reporting will also be examined. Lastly, 
there will be a test to determine the feasibility of selecting a 
maximum of three persons per dwelling unit instead of two (triad 
sampling). Some of the above studies may be combined to introduce 
survey efficiencies.
    The average annual burden associated with these activities over a 
three-year period is summarized below.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of     Responses per    burden per     Total burden
                    Activity                        respondents     respondent     response  (in      (hrs.)
                                                                                       hrs.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
a. Reliability/depression module validity study.             667               2           1.5             2,000
b. Improving participation among controlled                  417               1           1.0               417
 access and 50+ population, and other hard-to-
 reach populations..............................
c. Nonresponse follow-up........................             417               1           1.0               417
d. Incentive/validity study.....................             417               1           1.0               417
e. Cognitive laboratory testing.................             167               1           1.0               167
f. Annual questionnaire pre-test................             333               1           1.0               333
g. Text-to-speech software for voices in                      83               1           1.0                83
 computer-assisted interviewing.................
h. Triad sampling...............................             333               1           1.0               333
Household screening for a-d, f, and h...........           7,167               1           0.083             595
Screening Verification for a-d, f, and h........             217               1           0.067              15
Interview Verification for a-d, f, and h........             400               1           0.067              27
                                                 -----------------
    Total.......................................          10,617  ..............  ..............           4,803
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    Send comments to Nancy Pearce, SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer, 
Room 16-105, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857. 
Written comments should be received by May 7, 2004.

    Dated: March 1, 2004.
Anna Marsh,
Executive Officer, SAMHSA.
[FR Doc. 04-5068 Filed 3-5-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4162-20-P