[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 241 (Thursday, December 17, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66970-66971]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-29974]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-10-10AJ]


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 Acting Reports Clearance 
Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS D-74, 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 Childhood Obesity Prevention and Control Initiative: 
New York City Health Bucks Program--New--Division of Nutrition, 
Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO), National Center for Chronic 
Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP), Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    The Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) 
at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is working to 
reduce obesity and related health conditions via a multi-pronged 
approach including active identification of promising local programs 
and policies designed to prevent childhood obesity. Priority is being 
given to programs and policies targeting improved eating habits and 
physical activity levels among children in low-income communities.
    The New York City Health Bucks program, operated by the New York 
City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), is one example of 
this type of initiative. The program operates in three high-need, 
underserved New York City neighborhoods: The South Bronx, North and 
Central Brooklyn, and East and Central Harlem. Through the program, 
targeted neighborhood residents are provided with $2 ``Health Bucks'' 
that can be redeemed at local farmers' markets for the purchase of 
fresh, locally-grown fruits and vegetables. As an added incentive for 
Food Stamp/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) 
participants, individuals using an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) 
card at participating farmers' markets receive one $2 Health Buck for 
every $5 spent. The Health Bucks program is intended to increase fresh 
fruit and vegetable purchases and consumption, and to increase access 
at the community level by attracting local farmers to these underserved 
areas.
    CDC plans to sponsor an evaluation of the NYC Health Bucks program 
to assess changes in consumer behavior and to identify factors serving 
as barriers or facilitators to program implementation. The evaluation 
will involve vendors, managers and consumers at 90 farmers' markets in 
New York City, residents in the neighborhoods near markets that accept 
Health Bucks, and approximately 200 organizations expected to 
participate in the NYC Health Bucks program during 2010.
    The evaluation will include seven information collection 
activities: (1) A Web-based survey of local community organizations 
that distribute Health

[[Page 66971]]

Bucks in the target neighborhoods. Responses will be analyzed to assess 
organizations' motivations for participating in the program and any 
barriers or facilitators encountered. Because this survey will replace 
the post-season survey currently required by the DOHMH, it is not 
expected to place substantial new burden on this group of respondents. 
(2) A market managers' survey will be mailed to the manager at each 
market site. This survey is designed to assess barriers and 
facilitators to distributing and accepting Health Bucks, as well as 
factors influencing decisions to operate markets in underserved 
neighborhoods. (3) A similar survey will be distributed to farmers' 
market vendors to assess their experiences with the program and factors 
influencing their decisions to sell at markets in underserved 
neighborhoods. (4) In-person interviews will be conducted with an 
average of 30 consumers at each Health Bucks markets and 20 at non-
Health Bucks markets, for a total of about 2,300 consumers. The 
interviews will obtain information about consumers' access to fresh 
fruits and vegetables at farmers' markets and other sellers, fresh 
fruit and vegetable purchase and consumption, food insecurity, reasons 
for shopping at farmers' markets, and experiences with using Health 
Bucks and SNAP benefits at farmers' markets. (5) Similar information 
will be collected from random-digit dial telephone interviews of 
neighborhood residents. Approximately 1,000 residents will be surveyed, 
with equal sample sizes in each of the three New York City 
neighborhoods in which NYC Health Bucks operates. (6) Focus groups will 
be conducted with farmers' market vendors to obtain in-depth 
information about their motivations for operating in underserved 
neighborhoods and experiences with NYC Health Bucks. (7) Focus groups 
will be conducted with farmers' market consumers to obtain in-depth 
information about their motivations for shopping at farmers' markets 
and experiences with NYC Health Bucks. All focus groups will 
incorporate appropriate representation of diverse ethnic groups, and 
the groups will be held in convenient locations in New York City to 
ensure participants can attend.
    Farmers' market consumer and vendor surveys and the telephone 
survey of neighborhood residents will be available in English or 
Spanish.
    The information collected in the evaluation study will be used to: 
assess the program's ability to improve nutrition behaviors among 
targeted participants; identify factors serving as barriers and 
facilitators to program implementation and expected outcomes; provide 
feedback to the DOHMH for the purposes of program improvement; and 
share results with other entities interested in implementing similar 
programs.
    There are no costs to respondents other than their time.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                            Number of
                                                               Number of    responses     Average       Total
         Type of respondents                 Form type        respondents      per       burden (in   burden (in
                                                                            respondent     hours)       hours)
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Local Community Organizations.......  Local Community                 200            1        10/60           33
                                       Organization Survey.
Farmers' Market Managers............  Farmers' Market                  90            1         8/60           12
                                       Managers Survey.
Farmers' Market Vendors.............  Farmers' Market Vendor          450            1         7/60           53
                                       Survey.
                                      Farmers' Market Vendor           24            1            2           48
                                       Focus Group.
Farmers' Market Consumers...........  Consumer Point-of-             2300            1         7/60          268
                                       Purchase Survey.
                                      Consumer Focus Group..           48            1            2           96
NYC Health Bucks Neighborhood         Neighborhood Resident          1000            1         9/60          150
 Residents.                            Survey.
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    Total...........................  ......................  ...........  ...........  ...........          660
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    Dated: December 8, 2009.
Maryam I. Daneshvar,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. E9-29974 Filed 12-16-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P