[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 135 (Thursday, July 16, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34580-34581]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-16834]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Evaluation of the NIAID HIV 
Vaccine Research Education Initiative

SUMMARY: 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 National Institute of Allergy 
and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the National Institutes of Health 
(NIH) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects to be 
submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval.

PROPOSED COLLECTION: Title: Evaluation of the NIAID HIV Vaccine 
Research Education Initiative. Type of Information Collection Request: 
New. Need and Use of Information Collection: Developing a vaccine that 
protects against HIV infection is one of NIAID's highest priorities. To 
address the need for volunteers in HIV vaccine clinical trials, and 
enable NIAID to fulfill its Congressional mandate to prevent infectious 
diseases like HIV/AIDS, NIAID created the NIAID HIV Vaccine Research 
Education Initiative (NHVREI). The goal of NHVREI is to increase 
knowledge about and support for HIV vaccine research among U.S. 
populations most heavily affected by HIV/AIDS--in particular, African 
Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, men who have sex with men (MSM), women 
and youth, recognizing the intersection of these groups.
    The NHVREI program objectives include (1) Increasing awareness of 
the need for an HIV vaccine in communities most affected and infected 
by HIV/AIDS, (2) Improving the public's knowledge of and attitudes 
toward HIV

[[Page 34581]]

vaccine research, (3) Enhancing the partnership between community and 
HIV clinical trial researchers, and (4) Creating support for current 
and future HIV vaccine trials and fostering an environment that 
supports clinical trial volunteers.
    To determine if the strategies used to meet these objectives were 
successful, it is necessary to measure the effectiveness of initiative 
elements. Specifically, the evaluation will assess (a) implementation 
of NHVREI (i.e., process evaluation) and (b) impact (i.e., outcomes 
evaluation) of NHVREI on awareness of, knowledge about, and support for 
HIV vaccine research among NHVREI primary audiences (i.e., partner 
organizations, key influencers) that work with target populations. The 
ultimate goal of evaluation planning and implementation is to determine 
what components/strategies of NHVREI are effective and impact desired 
outcomes, so that these components/strategies can be continued, 
enhanced, and/or expanded if needed.
    Evaluation will be conducted through several processes including a 
survey and multiple focus groups. A survey will be conducted with key 
influencers of the NHVREI target populations to measure their level of 
awareness, knowledge about, and support for HIV vaccine research.
    Focus groups will also be conducted with representatives of 
organizations receiving grants through the NHVREI Local Partnership 
Program (LPP) and National Partnership Program (NPP), as well as 
representatives from a broader group of organizations called the NHVREI 
Network. The LPP and NPP are organizations that are funded to raise 
awareness about HIV vaccine research at either the local or national 
level. The planned NHVREI network will be composed of leadership 
organizations and coalitions that are either influencers of or provide 
information services to the target populations. The purpose of 
conducting focus groups with LPP, NPP, and NHVREI Network 
representatives is to obtain data on their experience implementing 
NHVREI activities. Questions asked during the group discussions will 
address efforts implementing educational activities and developing 
materials, community partnerships developed, engagement of key 
influencers in program activities, and the types of media outreach and 
capacity building engaged in. Frequency of Response: Twice. Affected 
Public: Individuals. Type of Respondents: Key influencers of target 
populations. The annual reporting burden is shown in the table below. 
There are no Capital Costs to report. There are no Operating or 
Maintenance Costs to report.

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                                                                                                      Estimated
                                                                            Noumber of    Average       total
                                                               Estimated    responses      burden       annual
         Type of respondents                 Form name         number of       per       hours per      burden
                                                              respondents   respondent    response      hours
                                                                                                      requested
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                                      Time 1
LPP, NPP, and NHVREI Network........  Focus Groups..........           78            1            1           78
Key Influencers.....................  Survey................          656            1         0.33          216
                                                             ---------------------------------------------------
                                         Total Time 1.......          734  ...........  ...........          294
                                      Time 2
LPP, NPP, and NHVREI Network........  Focus Groups..........           78            1            1           78
Key Influencers.....................  Survey................          590            1         0.33          195
                                                             ---------------------------------------------------
                                         Total Time 2.......          668  ...........  ...........          273
                                                             ---------------------------------------------------
                                         Total Time 1 & Time        1,402  ...........  ...........          567
                                          2.
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    Request for Comments: Written comments and/or suggestions from the 
public and affected agencies are invited on one or more of the 
following points: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the function of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) The 
accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used; (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on those who are to 
respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and 
instruments, contact Katharine Kripke, Assistant Director, Vaccine 
Research Program, Division of AIDS, NIAID, NIH, 6700B Rockledge Dr., 
Bethesda, MD 20892-7628, or call non-toll-free number 301-402-0846, or 
E-mail your request, including your address to [email protected].
    Comments Due Date: Comments regarding this information collection 
are best assured of having their full effect if received within 60 days 
of the date of this publication.

    Dated: July 9, 2009.
John J. McGowan,
Deputy Director for Science Management, NIAID, National Institutes of 
Health.
[FR Doc. E9-16834 Filed 7-15-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P