[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 11, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75353-75354]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-29508]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: 
Public Comment Request

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public 
comment on proposed data collection projects (Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995), the Health Resources and Services 
Administration (HRSA) announces plans to submit an Information 
Collection Request (ICR), described below, to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB). Prior to submitting the ICR to OMB, HRSA seeks 
comments from the public regarding the burden estimate, below, or any 
other aspect of the ICR.

DATES: Comments on this Information Collection Request must be received 
within 60 days of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to [email protected] or mail the HRSA 
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Room 10-29, Parklawn 
Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and 
draft instruments, email [email protected] or call the HRSA 
Information Collection Clearance Officer at (301) 443-1984.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: When submitting comments or requesting 
information, please include the information request collection title 
for reference.
    Information Collection Request Title: Questionnaire and Data 
Collection Testing, Evaluation, and Research for the Health Resources 
and Services Administration.
    OMB No.: 0915-xxxx--New.
    Abstract: HRSA conducts cognitive interviews, focus groups, 
usability tests, field tests/pilot interviews, and experimental 
research in laboratory and field settings, both for applied 
questionnaire development and evaluation, as well as more basic 
research on response errors in surveys.
    HRSA staff use various techniques to evaluate interviewer 
administered, self-administered, telephone, Computer Assisted Personal 
Interviewing (CAPI), Computer Assisted Self-Interviewing (CASI), Audio 
Computer-Assisted Self-Interviewing (ACASI), and web-based 
questionnaires.
    The most common questionnaire evaluation method is the cognitive 
interview. The interview structure consists of respondents first 
answering a draft survey question and then providing textual 
information to reveal the processes involved in answering the test 
question. Specifically, cognitive interview respondents are asked to 
describe how and why they answered the question as they did. Through 
the interviewing process, various types of question-response problems 
that would not normally be identified in a traditional survey 
interview, such as interpretive errors and recall accuracy, are 
uncovered. By conducting a comparative analysis of cognitive 
interviews, it is also possible to determine whether particular 
interpretive patterns occur within particular sub-groups of the 
population. Interviews are generally conducted in small rounds of 20 to 
30 interviews; ideally, the questionnaire is re-worked between rounds, 
and revisions are tested iteratively until interviews yield relatively 
few new insights.
    Cognitive interviewing is inexpensive and provides useful data on 
questionnaire performance while minimizing respondent burden. Cognitive 
interviewing offers a detailed depiction of meanings and processes

[[Page 75354]]

used by respondents to answer questions--processes that ultimately 
produce the survey data. As such, the method offers an insight that can 
transform understanding of question validity and response error.
    Documented findings from these studies represent tangible evidence 
of how the question performs. Similar methodology has been adopted by 
other federal agencies, as well as by academic and commercial survey 
organizations. There are no costs to respondents other than their time.
    Burden Statement: Burden in this context means the time expended by 
persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose or provide the 
information requested. This includes the time needed to review 
instructions; to develop, acquire, install and utilize technology and 
systems for the purpose of collecting, validating and verifying 
information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and 
providing information; to train personnel and to be able to respond to 
a collection of information; to search data sources; to complete and 
review the collection of information; and to transmit or otherwise 
disclose the information. The total annual burden hours estimated for 
this Information Collection Request are summarized in the table below.

                                     Total Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                     Number of                    Average burden
 Type of information collection      Number of     responses per       Total       per response    Total burden
                                    respondents     respondent       responses      (in hours)         hours
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Mail/email \1\..................          20,000               1          20,000             0.5          10,000
Telephone.......................          20,000               1          20,000             0.5          10,000
Web-based.......................          20,000               1          20,000             0.5          10,000
Focus Groups....................          20,000               1          20,000             2.0          40,000
In-person.......................          20,000               1          20,000             1.0          20,000
Automated \2\...................          20,000               1          20,000             1.0          20,000
Cognitive Testing...............          60,000               1          60,000             2.0         120,000
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    Total.......................         180,000  ..............         180,000  ..............         230,000
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\1\ May include telephone non-response follow-up in which case the burden will not change.
\2\ May include testing of database software, CAPI software, or other automated technologies.

    HRSA specifically requests comments on (1) the necessity and 
utility of the proposed information collection for the proper 
performance of the agency's functions, (2) the accuracy of the 
estimated burden, (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 
of the information to be collected, and (4) the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology to 
minimize the information collection burden.

    Dated: December 5, 2013.
Bahar Niakan,
Director, Division of Policy and Information Coordination.
[FR Doc. 2013-29508 Filed 12-10-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P