[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 142 (Wednesday, July 24, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44563-44564]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-17738]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

[60Day-13-13G]


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 Agency for Toxic Substances and 
Disease Registry (ATSDR) 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-
639-7570 or send comments to LeRoy Richardson, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-
D74, Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an email 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

    Chemical Emergencies Audience Analysis--New--Agency for Toxic 
Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).

Background and Brief Description

    The National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) and the Agency 
for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) play a vital role in 
mitigating chemical-related risks to public health. As part of that 
role, both agencies are responsible for assessing, minimizing, and 
monitoring

[[Page 44564]]

risks to public health, and are tasked with providing trusted, accurate 
health information to the public. Given that both agencies are under 
the same leadership, information collected to inform health 
communications will be of value to both agencies.
    The Office of Communications is seeking a one-year Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB)-approval for an initiative to increase the 
effectiveness of the agencies' communications related to both 
unintentional and intentional chemical releases. In order to inform the 
development of messages and materials, the Office of Communications 
would like to understand the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (KAB) 
of key professional audiences who are involved in the immediate 
aftermath of chemical emergencies. In consultation with Subject Matter 
Experts, the Office of Communications prioritized the following 
professional audiences for this research:

 First responders, including police, fire fighters and 
emergency medical service workers
 Emergency department personnel, both clinical and non-clinical
 Environmental and public health professionals at the city, 
county and state levels
 Poison Control Center directors and staff

This information collection seeks to characterize what these key 
professionals know and believe about chemical emergency events, what 
related activities and behaviors they engage in or would engage in, 
what information these audiences want, and what their challenges and 
concerns are.
    This information collection seeks approval to obtain data using two 
qualitative data collection methods. The first method includes focus 
groups to explore the KAB of members of these key professions in a 
group setting, allowing for dialogue between participants to provide 
the Office of Communications with in-depth information about this 
complex topic. Focus groups will take place remotely using Webinar 
technology, and participants will join the discussion by telephone. 
Although the Recruitment Screeners vary by respondent type, the same 
Moderator's Guide will be used for all focus groups. The second part of 
this information collection will include individual interviews with 
state-level environmental health professionals and Poison Control 
Center directors. Individual interviews will allow the agencies to 
gather in-depth information about state-level response structures and 
Poison Control Centers. Interviews will take place by telephone. To 
help ensure that participants have some experience responding to 
chemical emergencies, participants will be recruited from five states 
with the highest number of chemical emergencies, and within those 
states, from the areas where the highest number of incidents have 
occurred.
    There are no costs to respondents other than their time. The total 
burden hours requested is 138 hours.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Number of      Avg. burden
      Type of respondents           Form name        Number of     responses per   per response    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent       (in hrs.)       (in hrs.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First responders..............  Focus Group                   72               1            5/60               6
                                 Recruitment
                                 Screener.
                                Focus Group                   36               1               1              36
                                 Moderator Guide.
Emergency department personnel  Focus Group                   72               1            5/60               6
                                 Recruitment
                                 Screener.
                                Focus Group                   36               1               1              36
                                 Moderator Guide.
County or city environmental    Focus Group                   36               1            5/60               3
 health professionals.           Recruitment
                                 Screener.
                                Focus Group                   18               1               1              18
                                 Moderator Guide.
Poison Control Center staff...  Focus Group                   36               1            5/60               3
                                 Recruitment
                                 Screener.
                                Focus Group                   18               1               1              18
                                 Moderator Guide.
State environmental health      Interview                      7               1            5/60               1
 professionals.                  Recruitment
                                 Screener.
                                Interview Guide.               5               1               1               5
Poison Control Center           Interview                      7               1            5/60               1
 directors.                      Recruitment
                                 Screener.
                                Interview Guide.               5               1               1               5
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................  ................  ..............  ..............  ..............             138
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Leroy A. Richardson,
Chief, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of the Associate Director for Science, Office of the 
Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2013-17738 Filed 7-23-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P