[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 65 (Thursday, April 5, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16788-16789]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-6337]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60 Day-07-07AS]


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 404-639-5960 
and send comments to Joan Karr, CDC Acting Reports Clearance Officer, 
1600 Clifton Road, MS-D74, 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

    Focus Group Testing and Survey on Radiological Event Messages for 
Public Health Workers--New--National Center for Environmental Health 
(NCEH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    In January 2003, CDC held a roundtable to specifically address 
communications needs likely to arise in the aftermath of a terrorist 
event involving mass casualties. Hospital administrators and 
clinicians, public health practitioners, and emergency planners 
emphasized the gaps in their training and in their knowledge of how to 
respond to nuclear or radiological events.
    Concurrent with this, CDC began working with the Association of 
Schools

[[Page 16789]]

of Public Health (ASPH) to assess knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors 
related to preparedness for a radiological or nuclear terrorist event 
in the United States. The strong and clear message delivered to the CDC 
was that both the professional (e.g., clinicians and public health 
workers) and the lay American public were unprepared to respond to such 
an event (Becker 2004). Specifically, clinicians who participated in 
the research acknowledged a lack of training and preparedness, a 
potential unwillingness to treat patients if they are perceived as 
radiologically contaminated, and concerns about public panic and 
consequent overwhelming of hospitals and other clinical systems. More 
importantly, findings from the meeting revealed a critical need to 
assess communication preparedness among public health workers in 
relation to radiological emergencies.
    This proposal addresses the need for the development of clear 
communication messages in the event of a radiological incident. As part 
of a cooperative agreement, CDC has contracted with the National Public 
Health Information Coalition (NPHIC) to collect data from public health 
workers in 6 states--California, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, North Carolina 
and South Carolina--to evaluate a set of messages that have been 
developed by CDC for public health workers to use before, during and 
after a radiological event. The 5 communication messages focus on the 
main concerns expressed by representatives from these 6 states and 
other participants in audience research. The participating states 
volunteered for this project. Public health workers referenced in this 
proposal are nurses, physicians, clinical technicians, administrative, 
management and support staff and epidemiologists.
    CDC's primary goal is to protect the health and safety of the 
public. Since public health workers are usually first responders in 
various capacities in the event of a radiological emergency, the need 
to develop time-sensitive and consistent communication messages is 
vital. Developing clear messages that can be used by public health 
workers as an integral part of their radiological emergency plan is 
consistent with this goal. These message concepts, which range from how 
to protect the worker and family to the role of the public health 
worker during a radiological emergency will serve as a reference tool 
and guidance for state health departments in the event of such 
situations.
    This proposal seeks approval to obtain data using two methods--
focus group testing and electronic surveys--to achieve greater results. 
Focus group testing will be conducted to obtain qualitative data that 
will be gathered through a series of six focus groups of public health 
workers, one in each participating state. Each focus group will consist 
of 12 participants to equal 72 respondents, and will be about 1\1/2\ 
hour in length. The focus group testing will assess attitudes, 
knowledge and emotional response. Of particular interest will be how 
the participants might react to radiological concepts pertaining to 
their roles as public health workers and scenarios that will be 
included in the messages. Quantitative data will be obtained through a 
one-time electronic survey to randomly selected public health workers 
in the six states to equal 2,022 respondents. The participants who will 
be participating in the electronic survey will not be included in the 
focus group testing.
    CDC proposes to use this information to develop a final set of 
communication messages. The intent is for the messages to be 
disseminated using various methods and to provide a more consistent 
platform for states to respond to radiological emergencies. This 
research will help refine messages that have the ability to increase 
the percentage of workers who present to deliver services in a 
radiological emergency. Also, as a result of the study, CDC will have a 
set of tested public health messages that can allow public health 
workers to speak with one voice to the general public in a radiological 
emergency. In addition, the development of these messages will foster 
collaboration among the states and CDC.
    Therefore CDC requests approval to test one set of five messages 
among public health workers using focus group testing and electronic 
surveys. There are no costs to respondents except their time to 
participate in the survey.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                                      Average
                                                      No. of         Number of      burden  per    Total  burden
                   Respondents                      Respondents    responses per   response (in        hours
                                                                    respondent        hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Focus Groups....................................              72               1             1.5             108
Electronic Surveys..............................           2,022               1           20/60             674
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............             782
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    Dated: March 29, 2007.
Joan F. Karr,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
 [FR Doc. E7-6337 Filed 4-4-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P