[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 22 (Wednesday, February 3, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5596-5598]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-2275]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-10-09AL]


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 Maryam I. Daneshvar, 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

    Environmental Health Impacts on Women and Children in Low-income 
Multifamily Housing--NEW--National Center for Environmental Health 
(NCEH) and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    Green building principles and practices have been shown to reduce 
energy consumption, but their efficacy in reducing environmental agents 
such as pesticides, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), fungi, and 
indoor allergens is not clear. Furthermore, little research has been 
conducted on health impacts that might be related to green buildings, 
especially on a nationwide scale. Three main goals of this study are: 
(1) To compare levels of certain environmental chemical and biological 
agents in green vs. traditional, multi-family, low-income housing; (2) 
to ascertain differences in the health of the residents in these homes; 
and (3) to assess the economic impacts of the ``greening'' of housing--
particularly those related to health. These goals will be accomplished 
in ongoing low-income multi-family building renovation programs 
sponsored by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In 
partnership with HUD, the CDC will leverage this opportunity to collect 
survey and biomarker data from residents and to collect environmental 
measurements in their homes in order to evaluate associations between 
green housing and health (notably childhood asthma morbidity and 
premature/low birth weight outcomes).
    This study directly supports the Healthy Homes' health protection 
goal of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This 
investigation is also consistent with CDC's Health Protection Research 
Agenda, which

[[Page 5597]]

calls for research to identify the major environmental causes of 
disease and disability and related risk factors.
    Indoor allergens such as those from cockroaches, dust mites, mice, 
and fungi have been associated with childhood asthma. Also, VOCs and 
pesticides have been associated with adverse birth outcomes (e.g., low 
birth weight and prematurity). Given that green principles such as 
improvement of ventilation systems and elimination of spray pesticides 
can directly affect the concentrations of chemical and biological 
agents in air, residents in green housing should theoretically have 
better health outcomes (e.g., asthma and birth outcomes). Better health 
outcomes will, in turn, lead to lower healthcare utilization resulting 
in overall costs to society.
    Participants will include pregnant women and children living in 
HUD-subsidized housing that has either been rehabilitated in a green 
(e.g., case) or a traditional manner (e.g., control) from study sites 
across the United States. Pregnant women and children with asthma (ages 
7-12 years) will donate blood samples (for assessment of allergy) and 
urine samples (for assessment of pesticide and VOC exposures). The 
children with asthma (ages 7-12 years) will be also tested for lung 
function and lung inflammatory markers. Questionnaires regarding home 
characteristics and respiratory symptoms will be administered at 3-
month intervals over a 1-year period. Environmental sampling of the air 
and dust in the participants' homes will be conducted over a 1-year 
period (once in the home before rehabilitation (baseline 1), and then 
at three time points after rehabilitation has been completed: baseline 
2, 6 months, and 12 months). Environmental sampling includes 
measurements of air exchange rate, pesticides, VOCs, indoor allergens, 
fungi, temperature, humidity, and particulate matter.
    There is no cost to respondents other than their time.

                                                            Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                             Number of    Average burden
                  Respondents                                     Forms                      Number of     responses per   per response    Total burden
                                                                                            respondents     respondent      (in hours)      (in hours)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mothers of enrolled children...................  Screening questionnaire................             800               1           10/60             133
                                                 Baseline Questionnaire (Home                        688               1           15/60             172
                                                  Characteristics).
                                                 Baseline Questionnaire (for Mother)....             688               1           15/60             172
                                                 Baseline Questionnaire (for Children                688               1           15/60             172
                                                  with asthma 7-12 years).
                                                 Baseline Questionnaire (for Children 0-             688               1           15/60             172
                                                  6 years).
                                                 3- and 9-month Phone contact...........             688               2            5/60             115
                                                 6- and 12-month Follow-up Questionnaire             688               2           10/60             229
                                                  (for environment).
                                                 6- and 12-month Follow-up Questionnaire             688               2           10/60             229
                                                  (for women).
                                                 6- and 12-month Follow-up Questionnaire             688               2           10/60             229
                                                  (for Children with asthma 7-12 years).
                                                 6- and 12-month Follow-up Questionnaire             688               2           10/60             229
                                                  (for children 0-6).
                                                 Time/Activity form (for Children with               688               4            5/60             229
                                                  asthma 7-12 years).
                                                 Time/Activity form (for Children 0-6                688               4            5/60             229
                                                  years).
                                                 Time/Activity form (for Pregnant women              688               4            5/60             229
                                                  or mothers).
Pregnant women.................................  Screening questionnaire................             800               1           10/60             133
                                                 Baseline Questionnaire (Home                        688               1           15/60             172
                                                  Characteristics).
                                                 Baseline Questionnaire (for Pregnant                688               1           15/60             172
                                                  woman).
                                                 3- and 9-month Phone contact...........             688               2            5/60             115
                                                 6- and 12-month Follow-up Questionnaire             688               2           10/60             229
                                                  (for environment).
                                                 6- and 12-month Follow-up Questionnaire             688               2           10/60             229
                                                  (for women).
                                                 Post-delivery questionnaire............             688               1            5/60              57
                                                 Time/Activity form (for Pregnant women              688               4            5/60             229
                                                  or mothers).
                                                --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total......................................  .......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............           3,875
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[[Page 5598]]

    Dated: January 27, 2010.
Maryam I. Daneshvar,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2010-2275 Filed 2-2-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P