[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 26 (Thursday, February 7, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2524-2525]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-01322]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30-Day-19-18AAE]


Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has submitted the information 
collection request titled Barriers and Facilitators to Expanding the 
NHBS to Conduct HIV Behavioral Surveillance Among Transgender Women 
(NHBS-Trans) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review 
and approval. CDC previously published a ``Proposed Data Collection 
Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations'' notice on May 29, 
2018 to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. The 
notice was entitled National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System Among 
Transgender Women (NHBS-Trans). CDC did not receive comments related to 
the previous notice. The current notice serves to allow an additional 
30 days for public and affected agency comments. The project title has 
been revised to clarify project goals.
    CDC will accept all comments for this proposed information 
collection project. The Office of Management and Budget is particularly 
interested in comments that:
    (a) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (b) Evaluate the accuracy of the agencies estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected;
    (d) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including, through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses; and
    (e) Assess information collection costs.
    To request additional information on the proposed project or to 
obtain a copy of the information collection plan and instruments, call 
(404) 639-7570 or

[[Page 2525]]

send an email to [email protected]. Direct written comments and/or 
suggestions regarding the items contained in this notice to the 
Attention: CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th 
Street NW, Washington, DC 20503 or by fax to (202) 395-5806. Provide 
written comments within 30 days of notice publication.

Proposed Project

    Barriers and Facilitators to Expanding the NHBS to Conduct HIV 
Behavioral Surveillance Among Transgender Women (NHBS-Trans)--New--
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention 
(NCHHSTP), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    The National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System (NHBS, OMB No. 
0920-0770, exp. 5/31/2020) is CDC's ongoing surveillance system to 
assess HIV prevalence and factors associated with HIV among populations 
at high risk for HIV. NHBS has a 15-year record of successfully 
reaching and recruiting hidden populations, with a focus on men who 
have sex with men, injection drug users, and heterosexuals at high risk 
of HIV infection.
    CDC requests OMB approval to conduct a two-year pilot study to 
examine the feasibility of extending the NHBS's proven surveillance 
framework to include transgender (TG) women, a hidden subpopulation 
with a disproportionately high burden of HIV. Information will be 
collected in nine geographically diverse U.S. Metropolitan Statistical 
Areas (MSAs) with high HIV prevalence: Atlanta, GA, Dallas, TX, Los 
Angeles, CA, New Orleans, LA, New York, NY, Philadelphia, PA, San 
Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, and Washington, DC. Together these sites 
accounted for over 33% of all persons living with HIV at year end 2014 
in large (>500,000 residents) MSAs. All NHBS-Trans sites currently 
participate in the NHBS and are familiar with its protocols for 
respondent recruitment, information collection, HIV testing, and 
referral to services.
    The NHBS-Trans pilot study will use customized NHBS instruments, 
sampling and recruitment methods to assess barriers to, and best 
strategies for, conducting HIV-related bio-behavioral surveys among 
transgender women. Information will be collected on HIV risk behaviors, 
gaps in services, barriers to service, and other experiences of 
transgender women from racial and ethnic minority populations. 
Potential participants will be identified through respondent-driven 
recruitment methods, also called peer-based recruitment.
    During the two-year information collection period, each NHBS-Trans 
site will recruit 200 respondents for a computer-assisted personal 
interview. The proposed respondents are adult minority transgender 
women. After completing the 40-minute interview, each respondent will 
be offered a free, rapid HIV test. Respondents will also be asked to 
participate in short debriefing interviews about their experiences with 
recruiting additional participants. The debriefing interviews will help 
CDC understand the reasons why eligible transgender women choose not to 
participate in the NHBS-Trans pilot study.
    Over the two-year pilot period, the target number of completed 
interviews for all sites is 1,800 (200 per site). CDC estimates that 
1,980 individuals must be screened in order to identify 1,800 
individuals who meet eligibility criteria and consent to participation.
    Quantitative analysis of 1,800 interviews will be conducted using 
SAS. Findings of the NHBS-Trans pilot study will be used by CDC and 
local health department staff to assess the feasibility of using NHBS 
infrastructure to monitor the prevalence of HIV among transgender women 
of color and to strengthen understanding of the behavioral and 
environmental HIV risk factors that contribute to the 
disproportionately high prevalence of HIV within this population. 
Improved surveillance of transgender women is necessary to help CDC and 
health departments identify areas for community-level interventions, 
track the progress of communities in implementing change, and evaluate 
interventions that seek to reduce HIV risk factors and increase 
engagement in HIV prevention and care.
    Participation in the NHBS-Trans study is voluntary and there are no 
costs to respondents other than their time. The total estimated 
annualized burden hours are 713.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Number of    Average burden
        Type of respondents                   Form name              Number of     responses per   per response
                                                                    respondents     respondent      (in hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transgender Women >18 years old....  Eligibility Screener.......             990               1            5/60
Eligible and consenting              NHBS-Trans Interview.......             900               1           40/60
 participants.
Peer Recruiters....................  Recruiter Debriefing Form..             900               1            2/60
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Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Acting Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2019-01322 Filed 2-6-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P