[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 154 (Friday, August 13, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44727-44728]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-17350]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30Day-21-0572]


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 Health Message Testing System (HMTS) 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 26, 2021 to obtain comments 
from the public and affected agencies. CDC received one non-substantive 
comment. 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. Comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function. 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

    Health Message Testing System (HMTS) (OMB Control No. 0920-0572, 
Exp. 8/31/2021)--Extension--Office of the Associate Director for 
Communication (OADC), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    Before CDC disseminates a health message to the public, the message 
always undergoes scientific review. However, even though the message is 
based on sound scientific content, there is no guarantee that the 
public will understand a health message or that the message will move 
people to take recommended action. Communication theorists and 
researchers agree that for health messages to be as clear and 
influential as possible, target audience members or representatives 
must be involved in developing the messages and provisional versions of 
the messages must be tested with members of the target audience.
    Increasingly, there are circumstances when CDC must move swiftly to 
protect life, prevent disease, or calm public anxiety. Health message 
testing is even more important in these instances, because of the 
critical nature of the information need. In the interest of timely 
health message dissemination, many programs forgo the important step of 
testing messages on dimensions such as clarity, salience, appeal, and 
persuasiveness (i.e., the ability to influence behavioral intention). 
Skipping this step avoids the delay involved in the standard OMB review 
process, but at a high potential cost. Untested messages can waste 
communication resources and opportunities because the messages can be 
perceived as unclear or irrelevant. Untested messages can also have 
unintended consequences, such as jeopardizing the credibility of 
Federal health officials.
    The Health Message Testing System (HMTS), a Generic information 
collection, enables programs across CDC to collect the information they 
require in a timely manner to:
     Ensure quality and prevent waste in the dissemination of 
health information by CDC to the public,
     Refine message concepts and to test draft materials for 
clarity, salience, appeal, and persuasiveness to target audiences,
     Guide the action of health communication officials who are 
responding to health emergencies, Congressionally-mandated campaigns 
with short timeframes, media-generated public concern, time-limited 
communication opportunities, trends, and the need to refresh materials 
or dissemination strategies in an ongoing campaign,
    Each testing instrument will be based on specific health issues or 
topics. Although it is not possible to develop one instrument for use 
in all instances, the same kinds of questions are asked in

[[Page 44728]]

most message testing. This package includes generic questions and 
formats that can be used to develop health message testing data 
collection instruments. These include a list of screening questions, 
comprised of demographic and introductory questions, along with other 
questions that can be used to create a mix of relevant questions for 
each proposed message testing data collection method. Programs may 
request to use additional questions if needed.
    Message testing questions will focus on issues such as 
comprehension, impressions, personal relevance, content and wording, 
efficacy of response, channels, and spokesperson/sponsor. Such 
information will enable message developers to enhance the effectiveness 
of messages for intended audiences.
    Data collection methods proposed for HMTS include intercept 
interviews, telephone interviews, focus groups, online surveys, and 
cognitive interviews. In almost all instances, data will be collected 
by outside organizations under contract with CDC.
    For many years CDC programs have used HMTS to test and refine 
message concepts and test draft materials for clarity, salience, 
appeal, and persuasiveness to target audiences. Having this generic 
clearance available has enabled them to test their information and get 
critical health information from the public quickly. Over the last 
three years, more than 32 messages have been tested using this 
clearance. Examples include:
    CDC Older Adult Injury Prevention Creative Campaign--Survey. This 
health communication campaign aimed to support and expand upon CDC's 
older adult injury prevention efforts and to raise awareness among 
older adults and their caregivers about preventable injuries that 
disproportionately impact them, steps to reduce their risk of injuries, 
and increase education about risk factors. Information collected can 
assist in the most effective use of CDC communication resources and 
opportunities by assessing clarity, appeal, persuasiveness and 
effectiveness of campaign material and advertisements (i.e., poster or 
video advertisement).
    The Division of Tuberculosis Elimination (DTBE) obtained OMB 
approval through HMTS for Health Communications Testing for Latent 
Tuberculosis Infections (LTBI) Campaign for CDC's National Center for 
HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. This collection was 
used to inform NCHHSTP/DTBE's future public service campaign efforts 
targeted to consumers at high-risk for LTBI, and the providers who 
serve them. This information collection activity is essential because 
it will provide CDC with effective messages for communicating about 
this disease and infection to motivate at-risk consumers to get 
preventive screening and, if infected, treatment, and to motivate 
healthcare providers to encourage testing and early detection.
    The Division of Diabetes Translation obtained OMB approval through 
HMTS for Message Testing for Diabetes Self-Management Education and 
Support (DSMES) Marketing Support: Card Sort Activity. Findings from 
this message testing effort were used by the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of Diabetes Translation (DDT) 
to inform how best to communicate with key audiences about DSMES 
services. Specifically, information about which attributes of DSMES 
services are most important to each audience will be identified and 
will serve as the basis for messages developed to promote DSMES 
services. This work will help increase the likelihood that messages 
will resonate and be understood as intended.
    Over 27,696 respondents were queried and over 6,100 burden hours 
used during this time period. Because the availability of this ICR has 
been so critical to programs in disseminating their materials and 
information to the public in a timely manner, OADC is requesting a 
three-year extension of this information collection. Based on 
anticipated use, CDC requests approval for an estimated 2,470 annual 
burden hours (7,410 over the course of the three-year approval). There 
is no cost to the respondents other than their time.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                                   Number of      Average burden
         Type of respondents                 Form name            Number of      responses per     per response
                                                                 respondents       respondent       (in hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Public Health Professionals, Health   Moderator's Guides,              18,525                1             8/60
 Care Providers, State and Local       Eligibility Screeners,
 Public Health Officials, Emergency    Interview Guides,
 Responders, General Public.           Opinion Surveys,
                                       Consent Forms.
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Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2021-17350 Filed 8-12-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P