[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 232 (Tuesday, December 3, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72677-72679]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-28855]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60-Day-14-14DF]


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 404-639-7570 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

    Sexually Transmitted Disease Services at US Colleges and 
Universities: Where are we now?--New--National Center for HIV/AIDS, 
Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP), Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    Approximately 43% of the over 30 million 18-24 year olds in the 
United States are currently enrolled in college or graduate school. 
These institutions comprise a mix of 2-year and 4-year colleges, public 
and private institutions, technical schools, and community colleges. In 
the U.S., young adulthood is the peak age group for many risk behaviors 
including unprotected sex. College students, who are typically at the 
age of most risk for acquiring a sexually transmitted disease (STD), 
may face challenges when seeking sexual and reproductive health care on 
campus.
    The last national study exploring the availability of STD services 
in US colleges and universities (2- and 4-year) was conducted in 2001 
and found that only 60% (474/736) of schools had a health center. 
Health centers were more common among larger schools (greater than 
4,000 students) that were privately funded and 4-year universities with 
housing. Of the health centers provided, 66% provided STD services, 55% 
provided obstetrical and gynecologic care, and 54% provided 
contraceptive services.
    National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) data estimates that the 
percentage of 18- to 22-year-olds ever tested for HIV is 34.2%; and 
only 18% reported being tested in the past year. Although risk factors 
for HIV/STD transmission (e.g., sex with multiple partners, unprotected 
sex, and using drugs or alcohol during sexual activity) can be 
particularly evident among college students in general, students 
enrolled at colleges with significant

[[Page 72678]]

minority enrollment (SMEs) may face additional challenges such as 
greater risk of transmission during new sexual encounters due to sexual 
partner networks and limited access to quality healthcare and 
prevention education. Given this information, there is a great deal of 
opportunity for expanding access to care, especially among schools 
which are unable to offer student health services on campus. Many 
schools, including both 2- and 4-year schools, may find it more 
difficult to offer student health services because of constrained 
budgets or geographical location. Depending on location, some may serve 
a disproportionate number of students from low socio-economic 
backgrounds which means, in general, their students are more likely to 
be un- or underinsured or to be Medicaid eligible.
    CDC is proposing this information collection to (1) provide an 
estimate of the proportion of colleges not offering health services on 
campus, (2) explore the reasons as to why, and (3) describe the current 
extent of US colleges and universities provisions of health services in 
regards to HIV/STD education, prevention and treatment. The information 
will be used to provide technical assistance to colleges and 
universities interested in alternative solutions for providing health 
care services to their students.
    The list of eligible respondents comes from the Integrated 
Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), using 2011 enrollment 
data. Applying our criteria to include only active, 2- or 4-year, 
degree granting, accredited public or not for profit private schools, 
that enrolled undergraduates and/or graduate students located in the 50 
states and the District of Columbia our total population was 3,337 
schools. From these we selected a proportionally stratified random 
sample of universities and colleges to survey on their provision of 
health services as they relate to HIV & STD education, treatment and 
prevention.
    The stratified random sample was based on enrollment size of school 
and significant minority enrollment. Sample size calculation also 
accounted for an expected low response rate (30%) of first time, online 
survey participants. The total number of colleges and universities to 
be surveyed will be 1,150.
    Enrollment size was coded based on enrollment number variables in 
the IPEDS dataset. Significant minority enrollment is based on two 
criteria: 1) Legislation that designates colleges and universities as 
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) or as Tribal 
Colleges and Universities (TCUs). 2) Enrollment-based criteria--
Colleges and Universities that are not HBCUs or TCUs, and have at least 
25% of the student body that is of an ethnic minority (American Indian 
or Alaska Native, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian or other 
Pacific Islander, mixed race, or those that do not meet the 25% 
threshold for any one minority group, but minority students as a whole 
comprised at least 50% of the total student body.
    CDC investigators will email an introductory letter inviting the 
contact person at each school to participate in the survey, noting that 
the questionnaire should be completed by the person with the most 
knowledge and access to information about health services on campus. 
The estimated burden per respondent is approximately 45 minutes; 5 
minutes for the introductory letter and 40 minutes for the 
questionnaire. The questionnaire will collect information regarding 
various aspects of health services provided by the school. These 
include requirements for student health insurance, preventive services, 
testing and treatment of HIV and STDs, partner management, and 
accessibility of health services by students.
    After reading and agreeing to terms outlined in the email letter, 
the participant will click the included link to the self-administered 
electronic questionnaire (via SurveyMonkey). Privacy risks are minimal. 
Only the name, title and contact information of the person filling out 
the survey will be obtained for the purpose of tracking participation 
and completion of questionnaires. All electronic files will be password 
controlled, accessible only to fully authorized personnel, and 
maintained and protected to the extent allowable by law. Schools will 
have 3 weeks to respond to the survey. Investigators will send a 
reminder at 1.5 weeks, 3 days prior to closeout, and then day of. This 
may need to be extended in order to achieve adequate power for 
analyses.
    Once all the surveys are returned, two researchers will review and 
contact schools about inconsistent or invalid responses, and make 
corrections as needed. Basic school characteristics will be gathered 
from the IPEDs database on each school (e.g. institution type, funding 
type, size of enrollments, region, etc.). We estimate 4-5 months will 
be needed to complete data collection.
    The total estimated time frame for the project, including 
administration of the survey, collection period, data analysis and 
writing, clearance and publication of findings is 9-12 months. The 
results and findings will be written for publication in a peer-reviewed 
journal and an aggregated, summary report will be shared with all 
participating schools. This data collection effort will also allow 
investigators to provide technical assistance to colleges and 
universities interested in alternative solutions for providing health 
care services to their students.
    Participation is voluntary and there are no costs to respondents 
other than their time.

                                        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.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Health Services Directors or    Web-based survey           1,150               1           40/60             767
 Campus Administrators.
Health Services Directors or    Introductory E-            1,150               1            5/60              96
 Campus Administrators.          mail letter.
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................  ................  ..............  ..............  ..............             863
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[[Page 72679]]

LeRoy 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. 2013-28855 Filed 12-2-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P