[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 175 (Friday, September 10, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54791-54792]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-20512]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-04-04KE]


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 404-498-1210 or 
send comments to Sandi Gambescia, CDC Assistant Reports Clearance 
Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-E11, Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an e-mail 
to [email protected].
    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. Written comments should be received 
within 60 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

    Evaluation of the Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Faculty 
Expansion Program--New--National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention 
(NCHSTP), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background

    Primary care physicians play a significant role in STD prevention 
and control. Diagnosing, treating, reporting, partner notification, and 
patient counseling which emphasizes appropriate prevention messages are 
all important physician contributions to STD control. In the curricula 
of most medical schools and residency programs, STDs and the role of 
public health in control and prevention receive little emphasis for 
primary care physicians. To address this lack of training, CDC has 
implemented the STD Faculty Expansion Program (FEP), which aims to 
improve the capacity of primary care physicians to diagnose, treat, and 
prevent STDs.
    The FEP provides medical schools with funding for an additional 
faculty member. This faculty person develops and implements curriculum 
for training medical students and residents, develops collaborative 
relationships with local health departments, and coordinates STD 
clinical experiences for medical students and residents. The potential 
long-term impacts of this STD-related training include: Increased 
physician awareness of STDs; greater comfort and confidence in 
counseling patients; increased case reporting and partner management; 
and ultimately lower STD incidence.
    This project is an evaluation of the FEP, because the outcomes of 
greatest relevance (increased physician awareness, increased 
collaboration with public health departments, decreased STD incidence) 
will occur only after students and residents who are currently 
receiving the enhanced training go into practice.
    Four medical schools--Morehouse School of Medicine, University of 
Alabama at Birmingham, Louisiana State University Medical Center, and 
the University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine--currently 
are receiving support under the FEP. The evaluation of the FEP consists 
of a survey of third-year medical students at the four currently funded 
schools and a sample of third-year medical students in all other U.S. 
medical schools. It also includes interviews with key informants at the 
four currently funded medical schools and the public health departments 
with which they are working. A paper-and-pencil survey instrument will 
be administered to the students in the four FEP schools in a classroom 
or clinic setting or through the school mail distribution system. The 
survey instrument will be distributed to the sample of students from 
all other medical schools using express mail. Survey topics will 
include:
     Hours of clinical and didactic training received during 
the first three years of medical school;

[[Page 54792]]

     Knowledge and efficacy with basic STD clinical diagnosis, 
treatment, and prevention;
     Students' confidence in taking a sexual history and 
providing specific prevention counseling to patients; and,
     Student familiarity with the role of the public health 
department in control and prevention of STDs.

A total of 800 students will be surveyed: Approximately 400 at the FEP 
schools and 400 (approximately 5%) from all other U.S. medical schools.
    The evaluation focuses on intermediate outcomes as a means of 
assessing the program's utility and effectiveness. Evidence that the 
FEP's enhanced STD training is effective will include greater knowledge 
of and comfort in diagnosis, treatment and prevention of STDs among FEP 
students, recall of more time having been devoted to STDs during 
medical training, and greater awareness of the primary care physician's 
public health role in STD control and prevention. The time required to 
complete the survey will be approximately 15-20 minutes. The only cost 
to survey respondents is the time involved in completing the survey.

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                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of       Number of      burden per     Total burden
                   Respondents                      respondents    responses per   response (in        hours
                                                                    respondent        hours)
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3rd-year medical students.......................             800               1           20/60             267
                                                 -----------------
    Total.......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............             267
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    Dated: September 1, 2004.
Alvin Hall, M.S.,
Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 04-20512 Filed 9-9-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P