[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 192 (Tuesday, October 4, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61363-61364]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-25495]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30-Day-11-11AA]


Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes a 
list of information collection requests under review by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a copy of these requests, call 
the CDC Reports Clearance Officer at (404) 639-5960 or send an e-mail 
to [email protected]. Send written comments to CDC Desk Officer, Office of 
Management and Budget, Washington, DC or by fax to (202) 395-5806. 
Written comments should be received within 30 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

    Central America Water and Sanitation Program Sustainability 
Evaluation and Qualitative Interview--NEW--National Center for 
Environmental Health (NCEH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    There is little information available on the longevity of 
infrastructure and hygiene behavior change after water, sanitation and 
hygiene education (WASH) interventions are provided. Sustainability of 
these WASH interventions is a crucial factor in maintaining the health 
and well-being of a community.
    In the Latin American and Caribbean region, 20% of the rural 
population in 2008 had no access to an improved drinking water source. 
Forty-five percent of this population also has unimproved sanitation 
facilities with 20% of that population not using any type of sanitation 
facility.
    Sustainability of WASH interventions ties in to goal 7 of the 
Millennium Development Goals developed by the United Nations 
Development Program, to ensure environmental sustainability. 
Specifically, it is to ``reduce by half the proportion of the 
population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic 
sanitation'' by 2015.
    In addition to this issue, significant natural disasters such as 
hurricanes and tropical storms have the potential to completely destroy 
infrastructure. In 1998, Central America (El Salvador, Guatemala, 
Honduras, and Nicaragua) was struck by Hurricane Mitch. After the 
hurricane, the American Red Cross (ARC) responded to the disaster and 
provided community- and household-level WASH to hundreds of 
communities. What began as a disaster response/reconstruction program 
in 1998, has developed into a study of the long-term sustainability of 
WASH interventions.
    This research will focus on assessing up to 16 communities that 
were provided WASH interventions by the ARC post-Hurricane Mitch. This 
survey will help to evaluate the key factors that help communities to 
maintain their infrastructure. The results will be used to improve ARC 
programs as well as to help guide other non-governmental agencies on 
how to best maximize their investments to ensure long-term community 
health.
    This research includes four components which will be done in each 
community: (1) A community survey with community leaders and/or the 
local water board; (2) a cross-sectional quantitative household survey 
and qualitative key informant interview; (3) water sampling and 
analysis of community water sources/systems and stored household water; 
and (4) an infrastructure inspection of the community water system and 
sanitation facilities. United States Agency for International 
Development (USAID) indicators were used as the basis for measuring 
WASH interventions using performance indicators. Performance indicators 
are a way to measure the performance of disaster-related water and 
sanitation programs.
    Four indicators will be used in this evaluation. To measure the 
water intervention we will estimate (1) the percent of households with 
access to an improved water source. The sanitation indicator measures 
(2) the percent of households with access to improved sanitation. 
Hygiene education is evaluated using two indicators, (3) the percent of 
households with appropriate hand washing behavior and (4) the percent 
of the population using hygienic sanitation facilities.
    The sustainability evaluation will first conduct a face-to-face 
interview with the community leaders and/or members of the water board 
from a maximum of sixteen communities.
    Second, a cross-sectional household survey (n=256) will be 
administered across all four countries with a randomly selected female 
head of household. This survey contains questions on water use, access 
and availability; sanitation access, use and maintenance; and hygiene 
education-when was the last time it was presented to the community, 
what topics were discussed, when was it provided and by whom. The 
household interview will record data using a personal data assistant 
(PDA), reviewed each day and then transferred into one electronic 
database for statistical analysis and calculation of the indicators. 
The survey will be done with the female head of household and take 
approximately 30 to 45 minutes.
    Third, a qualitative key informant interview with randomly selected 
female head of household (n=32), will be conducted to gather study 
participants thoughts and opinions on the WASH services provided to 
them and their community. This survey will be administered verbally and 
responses will be tape recorded and should take approximately 45 
minutes to 1 hour complete.
    Every household surveyed in each country will include qualitative 
testing of drinking water that is stored in the home (n=288). Total 
coliforms and E.

[[Page 61364]]

coli will be determined using a standard pre-measured Hach test kit. In 
addition, community water sources and water samples within the 
distribution system will be sampled (n=32). A total of 320 water 
samples will be completed. Additional testing will include measuring 
free chlorine in the community water system if chlorine is being used 
(n=16).
    Lastly, an infrastructure evaluation for each community will be 
done by CDC personnel using a checklist. This evaluation will help to 
determine the strengths and weaknesses of the water and sanitation 
systems for each community.
    The infrastructure survey and water sampling activity is not 
included in the burden table as CDC will complete this survey and 
activity independent of input or assistance from community leaders or 
study participants.
    There is no cost to respondents to participate in the 
sustainability evaluation other than their time. The total estimated 
annual burden hours are 240.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                                                      Average
                                                                     Number of       Number of      burden per
          Type of respondent                    Form name           respondents    responses per   response (in
                                                                                    respondent        hours)
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Community group-men and women.........  Community survey........              16               1               1
Female head of household..............  Quantitative household               256               1           45/60
                                         survey.
Female head of household..............  Key informant interview.              32               1               1
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    Dated: September 28, 2011.
Daniel Holcomb,
Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2011-25495 Filed 10-3-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P