[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 46 (Wednesday, March 11, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10591-10592]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-5103]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60 Day-09-08AG]


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 or 
send comments to Maryam I. Daneshvar, CDC 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

    Formative Research and Tool Development--New--National Center for 
HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHSTP), Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    CDC previously published a clearance mechanism to support 
behavioral projects for HIV/ AIDS prevention and control (Federal 
Register, volume 73, number 33 page 492 January 3, 2008). This project 
has been expanded to include formative research, and instrument testing 
for, sexually transmitted infections (STI), viral hepatitis, and 
tuberculosis elimination.
    Formative research is the basis for developing effective strategies 
including communication channels, for influencing behavior change. It 
helps researchers identify and understand the characteristics--
interests, behaviors and needs--of target populations that influence 
their decisions and actions. Formative research is integral in 
developing programs as well as improving existing and ongoing programs. 
Formative research also looks at the community in which an intervention 
is being or planning to be implemented and helps the project staff 
understand the interests, attributes and needs of different populations 
and persons in their community. Formative research is research that 
occurs before a program is designed and implemented, or while a program 
is being conducted. Formative research is an integral part of 
developing programs or adapting programs that deal with the complexity 
of behaviors, social context, cultural identities, and health care that 
underlie the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, STDs, and TB in 
the U.S.
    CDC conducts formative research to develop public-sensitive 
communication messages and user-friendly tools prior to developing or 
recommending interventions, or care. Sometimes these studies are 
entirely behavioral but most often they are cycles of interviews and 
focus groups designed to inform the formation of a product.
    Products from these studies will be used for sustainable projects 
for HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI), viral Hepatitis, 
and Tuberculosis prevention that are presented as evidence to disease 
specific National Advisory Committees, in order to support revisions to 
existing prevention and intervention methods, and new recommendations 
which cannot be developed without formative research.
    Much of CDC's health communication takes place within campaigns 
that have fairly lengthy planning periods--timeframes that accommodate 
the standard Federal process for approving data collections. Short term 
qualitative interviewing and cognitive research techniques have 
previously proven invaluable in the development of scientifically valid 
and population-

[[Page 10592]]

appropriate methods, interventions, and instruments.
    This request includes studies investigating the utility and 
acceptability of proposed recruitment methods, intervention contents 
and delivery, questionnaire domains, individual questions, and 
interactions with project staff or electronic data collection 
equipment. These activities will also provide information about how 
respondents answer questions and ways in which question response bias 
and error can be reduced. Overall, these development activities are 
intended to provide information that will increase the success of the 
surveillance or research project through increasing response rates and 
decreasing response error thereby decreasing future data collection 
burden to the public. The studies that will be covered under this 
request will include one or more of the following investigational 
modalities: (1) Focus group and individual interviews; (2) cognitive 
interviews for development and testing of specific data collection 
instruments; (3) component testing of instruments developed from 
qualitative research or communication methods; (4) testing of 
behavioral interventions; (5) public acceptance of intervention and 
prevention methods; (6) utilizing computer-assisted instruments 
(including Web-based technology).
    Respondents who will participate in individual and group interviews 
(qualitative, cognitive, and computer-assisted development activities) 
are selected purposely from those who respond to recruitment 
advertisements. In addition to utilizing advertisements for 
recruitment, respondents who will participate in research on survey 
methods may be selected purposively or systematically from within an 
ongoing surveillance or research project.
    CDC estimates that in a given year, 46,529 individuals will 
participate in 10 different information collection activities each 
year, each lasting between 6-12 months.
    Participation of respondents is voluntary and there is no cost to 
the respondents other than their time.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Table
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                            Number of                   Total
                                                               Number of    responses     Average      response
         Type of respondent                  Form name        respondents      per       hours per      burden
                                                                            respondent    response      (hrs)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
General public and health care        Screener..............        81200            1        10/60        13533
 providers.
General public and health care        Consent Forms.........        40600            1         5/60         3383
 providers.
General public and health care        Individual interview..         6600            1            1         6600
 providers.
General public and health care        Group interview.......         4000            1            2         8000
 providers.
General public and health care        Individual Survey.....        30000            1        30/60        15000
 providers.
                                     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Total.............................  ......................  ...........  ...........  ...........        46517
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Dated: March 3, 2009.
Maryam I. Daneshvar,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. E9-5103 Filed 3-10-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P