[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 157 (Monday, August 16, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50384-50385]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-18676]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30Day-04-04FF]


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 or send an e-mail 
to [email protected]. 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

    Workplace Stress Among Underground Coal Miners--New--The National 
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
    Work-related stress appears to increase the risk of atherosclerotic 
heart disease, musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain and carpal 
tunnel syndrome, and clinical depression. The mechanism by which stress 
increases the risk of chronic disease states is unknown, but is thought 
to involve abnormal communication between the brain and the endocrine 
system. Dysfunction of this communication system, called the 
Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, is found in a number of 
chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease, diabetes, and 
rheumatoid arthritis. In a healthy individual, there is flexible 
communication between the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, both 
located in the brain, and the adrenal gland, located above the kidneys. 
When stresses occur throughout the day, cortisol is released from the 
adrenal gland in response to signals from the brain. Cortisol prepares 
the body to respond to stress, after which cortisol levels return to 
normal. Chronic stress, with protracted or repeated challenge to the 
HPA axis, may lead to inappropriate levels of cortisol, further decline 
of HPA

[[Page 50385]]

axis function, and increased risk of chronic disease.
    This study will investigate the relationship between workplace 
stress and function of the HPA axis among a sample population of coal 
miners. Coal miners experience a number of work-related stresses, such 
as long hours of work, heavy workloads, shift work, and concerns about 
stability of employment. Miners will be asked to complete a 25-minute 
survey which asks about traditional job stressors including shift 
schedule and rotation, workload, and degree of control over work. The 
survey also addresses stressors not typically examined in work stress 
surveys, including time spent in second jobs, commuting time to work, 
and responsibilities for care of children and the elderly.
    Function of the HPA axis will be assessed by obtaining a series of 
cortisol samples from subjects right after they wake up in the morning. 
Recent studies have shown that the response of cortisol to awakening, 
measured in saliva, serves as a good marker of HPA axis function. 
Miners will be asked to obtain saliva samples at home, and send them to 
the NIOSH Morgantown laboratory for analysis.
    Analyses will examine the relationship between the cortisol 
response to awakening, an indicator of HPA axis function, and measures 
of workplace stress. Data collected in this study will help NIOSH 
determine if workplace stress results in HPA axis dysfunction, which 
has been linked to a number of chronic disease conditions. The 
estimated annualized burden is 167 hours.

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                                                                                                  Average burden
                                                                      No. of       No. responses        per
                           Respondents                              respondents         per         respondent
                                                                                    respondent       (in hrs.)
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Coal Miners.....................................................             400               1           25/60
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    Dated: August 10, 2004.
Alvin Hall,
Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 04-18676 Filed 8-13-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P