[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 1, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30945-30946]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-12236]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request

    Periodically, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration (SAMHSA) will publish a summary of information 
collection requests under OMB review, in compliance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a copy of these 
documents, call the SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer on (301) 443-7978.
    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 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,

[[Page 30946]]

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  burden per     Total
                            Activity                             respondents      per      response     burden
                                                                              respondent    (hrs.)      (hrs.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
a. Reliability/depression module validity study................        2,001           2         1.5       6,003
b. Focus groups with 50+ populations...........................          132           1         2.0         264
c. Improving participation among controlled access and 50+             1,251           1         1.0       1,251
 population, and other hard-to-reach populations...............
d. Nonresponse follow-up.......................................        1,251           1         1.0       1,251
e. Incentive/validity study....................................        1,251           1         1.0       1,251
f. Cognitive laboratory testing................................          501           1         1.0         501
g. Annual questionnaire pre-test...............................          999           1         1.0         999
h. Text-to-speech software for voices in computer-assisted               249           1         1.0         249
 interviewing..................................................
i. Triad sampling..............................................          999           1         1.0         999
Household screening for a-d, f, h, and i.......................       21,313           1       0.083       1,769
Screening Verification for a, c, d, e, g, and i................          638           1       0.067          43
Interview Verification for a, c, d, e, g, and i................        1,163           1       0.067          78
                                                                -------------                        -----------
    Total......................................................       22,063  ..........  ..........      14,658
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimate Burden for Groups with 50+ Population (also included in 
above burden table):

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                            Average
                                                                  Number of    Responses  burden per     Total
                            Activity                             respondents      per      response     burden
                                                                              respondent    (hrs.)      (hrs.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Focus groups with 50+ populations..............................          132           1         2.0         264
Household screening for a, b, c, d, e, g, and i................          383           1       0.083          32
                                                                -------------                        -----------
    Total......................................................          383  ..........  ..........         296
                                                                =============                        ===========
        Annual average (Total divided by 3 years)..............          128  ..........  ..........          99
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Written comments and recommendations concerning the proposed 
information collection should be sent by July 1, 2004 to: SAMHSA Desk 
Officer, Human Resources and Housing Branch, Office of Management and 
Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 
20503; due to potential delays in OMB's receipt and processing of mail 
sent through the U.S. Postal Service, respondents are encouraged to 
submit comments by fax to: (202) 395-6974.

    Dated: May 20, 2004.
Anna Marsh,
Executive Officer, SAMHSA.
[FR Doc. 04-12236 Filed 5-28-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4162-20-P