[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 218 (Tuesday, November 10, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71603-71605]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-24920]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 10, 2020 / 
Notices  

[[Page 71603]]



DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; National Survey of Children's Health

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information 
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information 
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The 
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment on the 
proposed revision of the National Survey of Children's Health, prior to 
the submission of the information collection request (ICR) to OMB for 
approval.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed 
information collection must be received on or before January 11, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by 
email to [email protected]. Please reference National Survey of 
Children's Health in the subject line of your comments. You may also 
submit comments, identified by Docket Number USBC-2020-0027, to the 
Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. All comments 
received are part of the public record. No comments will be posted to 
http://www.regulations.gov for public viewing until after the comment 
period has closed. Comments will generally be posted without change. 
All Personally Identifiable Information (for example, name and address) 
voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do 
not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or 
protected information. You may submit attachments to electronic 
comments in Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed 
to Carolyn Pickering, Survey Director, by way of phone (301-763-3873) 
or email ([email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Sponsored primarily by the U.S. Department of Health and Human 
Services' Health Resources Services Administration's Maternal and Child 
Health Bureau (HRSA MCHB), the National Survey of Children's Health 
(NSCH) is designed to produce data on the physical and emotional health 
of children under 18 years of age who live in the United States. The 
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the United States 
Department of Health and Human Services' Center for Disease Control and 
Prevention, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental 
Disabilities (CDC-NCBDDD) sponsor supplemental content on the NSCH. 
Additionally, the upcoming cycle of the NSCH would like to feature four 
returning state-based oversamples and four new oversamples that are 
either age-based, state-based, or region-based. The age-based 
oversample would be funded by the United States Department of Health 
and Human Services' Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National 
Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (CDC-
NCCDPHP). The state- or region-based oversamples would be sponsored by 
Children's Health Care of Atlanta, the State of Colorado, the State of 
Nebraska, the Ohio Department of Health, the Oregon Center for Children 
and Youth with Special Health Care Needs, the Southeast Louisiana Area 
Health Education Center, and the State of Wisconsin.
    The NSCH collects information on factors related to the well-being 
of children, including access to health care, in-home medical care, 
family interactions, parental health, school and after-school 
experiences, and neighborhood characteristics. The goal of the 2021 
NSCH is to provide HRSA MCHB, the supplemental sponsoring agencies, 
states, regions, and other data users with the necessary data to 
support the production of national estimates yearly and state- or 
region-based estimates with pooled samples on the health and well-being 
of children, their families, and their communities as well as estimates 
of the prevalence and impact of children with special health care 
needs.
    NSCH is seeking clearance to make the following changes:
     Increased sample size--The base NSCH sample plus the 
proposed oversamples may reach up to 300,000 addresses for the 2021 
NSCH, compared with 240,000 in 2020. The increased sample will allow 
individual states and agencies to produce statistically sound child 
health estimates in a fewer number of pooled years than if the sample 
were to remain the same annually, thereby resulting in more timely age-
, state- and region-based health estimates of children.
     Unconditional incentive distribution percentage--We plan 
to continue monitoring the effectiveness of the unconditional monetary 
incentive, but request an increase to the percent of addresses 
receiving a $5 incentive in the initial screener mailing. Response 
rates for the unconditional monetary incentive groups showed a 
statistically significant difference over the control group that did 
not receive an unconditional monetary incentive. A larger increase in 
response was noted for the households mailed a $5 compared with the $2 
incentive; however, both treatment groups have proven effective at 
reducing nonresponse bias by encouraging response. For both the 2018 
NSCH and 2019 NSCH, the initial screener incentive splits were 45% 
received $2; 45% received $5; and 10% did not receive an incentive. In 
the 2020 NSCH, the share of addresses receiving the $5 incentive was 
increased to 60%, with 30% receiving the $2 incentive; again, 10% did 
not receive an incentive. The proposal for 2021 NSCH is to remove the 
$2 incentive group, so 90% receive $5 and 10% would not receive an 
incentive with the initial mailing. The incentive assignment to each 
sampled

[[Page 71604]]

address would still be random as was done in prior cycles and approved 
by OMB.
     Alternative invitation letter wording--A random selection 
of addresses will receive an initial invitation letter than uses the 
traditional letter design but slightly modified wording that may 
encourage internet response. This test is conditional on ongoing 
results from the current NSCH 2020 redesigned envelope and letter test.
     Revised questionnaire content--The NSCH questionnaires 
with newly proposed and revised content from the sponsors at HRSA MCHB 
and CDC-NCCDPHP are currently undergoing two rounds of cognitive 
testing. This testing request was submitted under the generic clearance 
package and approved by OMB.\1\ Based on the results, a final set of 
proposed new and modified content will be included in the full OMB ICR 
for the 2021 NSCH.
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    \1\ Generic Clearance Information Collection Request: https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewIC?ref_nbr=201909-0607-002&icID=242679.
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     Oversamples \2\--In order to inform various priorities 
that are otherwise not supported by the NSCH, some stakeholders have 
shown interest in sponsoring an oversample of particular populations as 
part of the annual NSCH administration. Currently, there are six 
states, one region, and one federal partner contributing to an 
oversample as part of the 2021 NSCH. Four states (Colorado, Nebraska, 
Oregon and Wisconsin) were initially oversampled in 2020, and are 
continuing with the option as part of the 2021 NSCH. Two states 
(Louisiana and Ohio) and the Atlanta, GA Metro Area will be oversampled 
for the first time in 2021. Finally, CDC-NCCDPHP is supporting an 
oversample of households with young children.
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    \2\ State Oversampling in the National Survey of Children's 
Health: Feasibility, Cost, and Alternative Approaches https://census.gov/content/dam/Census/programs-surveys/nsch/NSCH_State_Oversample_Summary_Document.pdf.
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    Besides the proposed changes listed above, the 2021 NSCH will 
proceed with the current design outlined in the previous OMB ICR 
package. We will continue to make modifications to data collection 
strategies based on modeled information about paper or internet 
response preference. Results from prior survey cycles will continue to 
be used to inform the decisions made regarding future cycles of the 
NSCH.
    From prior cycles of the NSCH, using American Association for 
Public Opinion Research definitions of response, we can expect for the 
2021 NSCH an overall screener completion rate to be about 46.3% and an 
overall topical completion rate to be about 36.0%.\3\ This is different 
from the overall response rate, which we expect to be about 41.4%.\4\
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    \3\ Screener Completion Rate is the proportion of screener-
eligible households (i.e., occupied residences) that completed a 
screener. It is equal to (S+X)/(S+X+R+e(UR+UO)), where S is the 
count of completed screeners with children, X is completed screeners 
without children, R is screener refusals, and e(UR+UO) is the 
estimated count of screener eligible households among nonresponding 
addresses.
    The Topical Completion Rate is the proportion of topical-
eligible households (i.e., occupied residences with children 
present) that completed a topical questionnaire. It is equal to I/
HCt, where I is the count of completed topicals and HCt is the 
estimated count of households with children in the sample or 
S+R+(S+R)/(S+X+R)*e(UR+UO).
    \4\ Overall Response Rate is the probability a resolved address 
completes a screener questionnaire and then, when eligible, 
completes a topical questionnaire.
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II. Method of Collection

    The 2021 NSCH plan for the web push data collection design includes 
approximately 70% of the production addresses receiving an initial 
invite with instructions on how to complete an English or Spanish-
language screener questionnaire via the web. Households that decide to 
complete the web-based survey will be taken through the screener 
questionnaire to determine if they are eligible for one of three 
topical instruments. Households that list at least one child who is 0 
to 17 years old in the screener are directed into a topical 
questionnaire immediately after the last screener question. If a 
household in the web push treatment group decides to complete the paper 
screener, the household may have a chance to receive an additional 
topical questionnaire incentive. This group will receive two web survey 
invitation letters requesting their participation in the survey prior 
to receiving up to two additional paper screener questionnaires in the 
second and third follow-up mailings.
    The 2021 NSCH plan for the mixed-mode data collection design 
includes up to 30% of the production addresses receiving a paper 
screener questionnaire in either the initial or the first nonresponse 
follow-up and instructions on how to complete an English or Spanish 
language screener questionnaire via the web. Households that decide to 
complete the web-based survey will follow the same screener and topical 
selection path as the web push. Households that choose to complete the 
paper screener questionnaire rather than completing the survey on the 
internet and that have eligible children will be mailed a paper topical 
questionnaire upon receipt of their completed paper screener at the 
Census Bureau's National Processing Center. If a household in the 
mixed-mode group chooses to complete the paper screener instead of 
completing the web-based screener via the internet, then the household 
may receive an additional topical questionnaire incentive. This group 
will receive both a web survey invitation letter along with a mailed 
paper screener questionnaire with either the initial invitation or the 
first follow-up and each additional nonresponse follow-up mailing.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0990.
    Form Number(s): NSCH-S1 (English Screener), NSCH-T1 (English 
Topical for 0- to 5-year-old children), NSCH-T2 (English Topical for 6- 
to 11-year-old children), NSCH-T3 (English Topical for 12- to 17-year-
old children), NSCH-S-S1 (Spanish Screener), NSCH-S-T1 (Spanish Topical 
for 0- to 5-year-old children), NSCH-S-T2 (Spanish Topical for 6- to 
11-year-old children), and NSCH-S-T3 (Spanish Topical for 12- to 17-
year-old children).
    Type of Review: Regular submission, Request for a Revision of a 
Currently Approved Collection.
    Affected Public: Parents, researchers, policymakers, and family 
advocates.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 114,818.
    Estimated Time per Response: 5 minutes per screener response and 
35-36 minutes per topical response, which in total is approximately 40-
41 minutes for households with eligible children.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 39,400.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0 (This is not the cost of 
respondents' time, but the indirect costs respondents may incur for 
such things as purchases of specialized software or hardware needed to 
report, or expenditures for accounting or records maintenance services 
required specifically by the collection.)
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. Section 8(b); 42 U.S.C. 701; 
1769d(a)(4)(B); and 42 U.S.C. 241.

IV. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau 
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether 
the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy 
of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed 
collection,

[[Page 71605]]

including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) 
Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden on 
those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include, or summarize, each comment in our 
request to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, 
phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information 
in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--
including your personal identifying information--may be made publicly 
available at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold 
your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2020-24920 Filed 11-9-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P