[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 51 (Monday, March 16, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14943-14945]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-05314]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30Day-20-1208]


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 The National Health and Nutrition Examination 
Survey (NHANES) 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 December 
6, 2019 to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. CDC 
received one comment related to the previous notice. This notice serves 
to allow an additional 30 days for public and affected agency comments.
    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 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.

[[Page 14944]]

Proposed Project

    Developmental Projects to Improve the National Health and Nutrition 
Examination Survey and Related Programs, (OMB Control No. 0920-1208 
Exp. 12/31/2020)--Revision -- National Center for Health Statistics 
(NCHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    Section 306 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act (42 U.S.C. 
242k), as amended, authorizes that the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services (DHHS), acting through NCHS, shall collect statistics on the 
extent and nature of illness and disability; environmental, social and 
other health hazards; and determinants of health of the population of 
the United States. The Division of Health and Nutrition Examination 
Surveys (DHNES) has conducted national surveys and related projects 
periodically between 1970 and 1994, and continuously since 1999.
    The mission of DHNES programs is to produce descriptive statistics 
which measure the health and nutrition status of the general 
population. The continuous operation of DHNES programs presents unique 
challenges in testing new survey content and activities, such as 
outreach or participant screening.
    In 2023 and beyond, NHANES may need to implement changes to the 
survey such as sample design, outreach activities, procedures, content, 
protocols, methods and settings in which the survey is conducted. The 
survey may also need to collaborate more closely with other public 
health surveys and programs, both within NCHS/CDC and with outside 
organizations. Such changes may be needed to respond to declines in 
response rate, adapt to changes in technology and address future public 
health needs. To prepare for such change, the program may need to do 
more testing than in past cycles. This request includes an increase in 
number of participants and burden hours for Developmental Projects & 
Focus Group activities. It also expands the types of participants 
covered by this generic request to include ``current or past 
participants of other NCHS surveys/programs/projects'' and 
``individuals eligible to be participants of other NCHS surveys/
programs/projects, but who did not actually screen in''.
    This generic revision request covers developmental projects to help 
evaluate and enhance DHNES existing and proposed data collection 
activities to increase research capacity and improve data quality. The 
information collected through this Generic Information Collection 
Request will not be used to make generalizable statements about the 
population of interest or to inform public policy; however, 
methodological findings from these projects may be reported.
    The purpose and use of projects under this NHANES generic clearance 
would include developmental projects necessary for activities such as 
testing new procedures, equipment, technology and approaches that are 
going to be folded into NHANES or other NCHS programs; designing and 
testing examination components or survey questions; creating new 
studies, including biomonitoring and clinical measures; creating new 
cohorts, including a pregnancy and/or a birth--24 month cohort; testing 
of the cognitive and interpretive aspects of survey methodology; 
feasibility testing of proposed new components or modifications to 
existing components; testing of human-computer interfaces/usability; 
assessing the acceptability of proposed NHANES components among likely 
participants; testing alternative approaches to existing NHANES 
procedures, including activities related to improving nonresponse; 
testing the use of or variations/adjustments in incentives; testing 
content of web based surveys; testing the feasibility of obtaining 
bodily fluid specimens (blood, urine, semen, saliva, breastmilk) and 
tissue sample (swabs); testing digital imaging technology and related 
procedures (e.g., retinal scan, liver ultrasound, Dual-energy X-ray 
absorptiometry (DEXA), prescription and over-the-counter dietary 
supplements bottles); testing the feasibility of and procedure/
processes for accessing participant's medical records from healthcare 
settings (e.g., hospitals and physician offices); testing the 
feasibility and protocols for home examination measurements; testing 
survey materials and procedures to improve response rates, including 
changes to advance materials and protocols, changes to the incentive 
structure, introduction of new and timely outreach and awareness 
procedures including the use of social media; conducting crossover 
studies; creating and testing digital survey materials; and conducting 
customer satisfaction assessments.
    The types of participants covered by the NHANES generic may include 
current or past NHANES participants; family or household members of 
NHANES participants; individuals eligible to be participants in NHANES, 
but who did not screen into the actual survey; convenience samples; 
volunteers; subject matter experts or consultants such as survey 
methodologist, academic researchers, clinicians or other health care 
providers; NHANES data or website users; members of the general public 
or individuals abroad who would be part of a collaborative development 
project or projects between NCHS and related public health agencies in 
the U.S. and/or abroad.
    The type of participants involved in a given developmental project 
would be determined by the nature of the project. The details of each 
project will be included in the specific GenIC submissions. 
Participation is voluntary and confidential. There is no cost to 
respondents other than their time. We are requesting a three-year 
approval, with 59,465 annualized hours of burden.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                      Average
                                                                     Number of       Number of      burden per
          Type of respondents                   Form name           respondents    responses per   response  (in
                                                                                    respondent        hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals or households.............  Developmental Projects &          35,000               1           90/60
                                         Focus Group documents.
Volunteers............................  Developmental Projects &             300               1           90/60
                                         Focus Group documents.
Individuals or households, Volunteers,  24-hour developmental                200               1              25
 NHANES Participants.                    projects.
NHANES participants...................  Developmental Projects..           1,000               1           90/60

[[Page 14945]]

 
Subject Matter Experts................  Focus Group/                          15               1               1
                                         Developmental Project
                                         Documents.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2020-05314 Filed 3-13-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4163-18-P