[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 52 (Monday, March 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14253-14254]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-5257]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-0920-0630]


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 Dr. Maryam Daneshvar, CDC Reports Clearance 
Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D74, Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an email 
to [email protected].
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information

[[Page 14254]]

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

    Work Organization Predictors of Depression in Women--
Reinstatement--The National Institute for Occupational Safety and 
Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    Depression is a costly and debilitating occupational health 
problem. Research has indicated that the costs to an organization of 
treatment for depression can rival those for heart disease, and major 
and minor depressive disorders which have been found to be associated 
with more disability days than other types of health diagnoses. This 
may be of particular relevance for working women. Various national and 
international studies indicate that women in developed countries 
experience depression at up to twice the rate of men. Studies that have 
examined this gender difference have focused on social, personality, 
and genetic explanations while few have explored factors in the 
workplace that may contribute to the gender differential. Examples of 
workplace factors that may contribute to depression among women 
include: Additive workplace and home responsibilities, lack of control 
and authority, and low paying and low status jobs. Additionally, women 
are much more likely to face various types of discrimination in the 
workplace than men, ranging from harassment to inequalities in hiring 
and promotional opportunities, and these types of stressors have been 
strongly linked with psychological distress and other negative health 
outcomes. On the positive side, organizations that are judged by their 
employees to value diversity and employee development engender lower 
levels of employee stress, and those that enforce policies against 
discrimination have more committed employees. Such organizational 
practices and policies may be beneficial for employee mental health, 
particularly the mental health of women.
    This research focuses on the following questions: (1) Which work 
organization factors are most predictive of depression in women, and 
(2) are there measurable work organization factors that confer 
protection against depression in women employees?
    The research uses a repeated measures, prospective design with data 
collection at three points (baseline and 1-year and 2-year follow-ups). 
A 45-minute survey is being administered by telephone to 314 women and 
men at 16 different organizations. The survey contains questions about 
traditional job stressors (e.g., changes in workload, social support, 
work roles), stressors not traditionally examined, but which may be 
linked with depressive symptoms among women (e.g., roles and 
responsibilities outside of the workplace, discrimination, career 
issues) depression symptoms, and company policies, programs and 
practices. In our previous collection (2002), one Human Resource (HR) 
representative at each company was also surveyed about company 
policies, programs and practices. No HR representatives will be 
contacted for this survey. Analyses will determine which work 
organization factors are linked with depressive symptoms and what 
effect the organizational practices/policies of interest have on 
depression. Findings from this prospective study will also help target 
future intervention efforts to reduce occupationally-related depression 
in women workers. This study is being renewed in order to finish data 
collection. There will be no cost to respondents other than their time.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Table
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                                                                    No. of      Average  burden
                 Respondents                       No. of       responses per    per  response     Total burden
                                                respondents       respondent       (in hours)       (in hours)
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Employees...................................             314                1            45/60              236
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    Dated: March 5, 2008.
Maryam I. Daneshvar,
Acting Reports and Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. E8-5257 Filed 3-14-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P