[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 53 (Friday, March 18, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15430-15431]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-05756]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30Day-22-1262]


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 November 
2, 2021 to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. CDC 
received four comments 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. 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

    Barriers and Facilitators to Expanding the NHBS to Conduct HIV 
Behavioral Surveillance Among Transgender Women (NHBS-Trans) (OMB 
Control No. 0920-1262, Exp. 4/30/2022)--Revision--National Center for 
HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP), Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    The purpose of this project is to demonstrate the feasibility of a 
national surveillance system to monitor behaviors of transgender women 
that are related to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) transmission and 
prevention in the United States. Findings of the NHBS-Trans project 
will

[[Page 15431]]

be used by CDC and local health department staff to assess changes made 
to the NHBS-Trans system 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.
    CDC requests a three-year approval for a revised information 
collection. Based on completion of data collection in 2019-2020 and 
evaluation of the previous efforts, project activities and methods have 
expanded to allow for remote variants of our in-person methods, such as 
interview by videoconference or phone. The number of Metropolitan 
Statistical Areas (MSAs) participating in NHBS-Trans will increase 
(from nine to up to 14) and the number of respondents recruited per 
project area will increase from 200 to 300 adult minority transgender 
women (4,200 interviews total). Selected content of the eligibility 
screener and behavioral assessment was revised.
    Data will be collected through anonymous, in-person interviews 
conducted with persons systematically selected from up to 14 MSAs 
throughout the United States. A brief screening interview will be used 
to determine eligibility for participation in the behavioral 
assessment. All participants will be provided HIV testing and referral 
to services (as needed) following CDC protocol. Each participant will 
respond one time over the course of the three-year project. 
Participants will be recruited through respondent-driven sampling 
(RDS), a scientifically proven recruitment strategy for reaching 
hidden, hard-to-reach, or stigmatized populations. To assess non-
response bias from RDS, peer recruiters will be debriefed about their 
recruitment efforts when they return to the field site. This 
information will be used to understand if certain racial (or ethnic) 
groups are not responding or if persons are not responding for a 
particular reason. Interview data will be recorded on secure portable 
computers, without internet connections. Data will be transferred to 
secure, encrypted data servers. Data will be stored at CDC and shared 
with local health departments in accordance with existing data use 
agreements and the Assurance of Confidentiality for HIV/AIDS 
Surveillance Data. Data will be disseminated in aggregate through 
academic and agency publications, presentations, and reports. The 
information will be collected over a three-year period beginning no 
later than two months after OMB approval.
    The NHBS-Trans behavioral assessment and optional HIV testing are 
anonymous (neither names nor Social Security numbers are collected). 
Data that will be collected through NHBS-Trans, while sensitive, are 
not personally identifying. These data will provide estimates of (1) 
behavior related to the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted 
diseases, (2) prior testing for HIV, and (3) use of HIV prevention 
services. No other federal agency systematically collects this type of 
information from persons at risk for HIV infection. These data have 
substantial impact on prevention program development and monitoring at 
the local, state, and national levels.
    The burden table below shows the estimated annualized burden hours 
for the participants' time. Annually, 1,540 participants will complete 
an eligibility screener (an average of five minutes to complete), 1,400 
participants will complete the Behavioral Assessment (an average of 40 
minutes to complete), and 1,400 will complete the Recruiter Debriefing 
Form (an average of two minutes to complete). The estimated total 
annualized burden is 1,108 hours. Participation of respondents is 
voluntary, and there are no costs to respondents other than their time.

                                        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....           1,540               1            5/60
Eligible and Consenting Respondents...  NHBS-Trans Behavioral              1,400               1           40/60
                                         Assessment.
Peer Recruiters.......................  Recruiter Debriefing               1,400               1            2/60
                                         Form.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2022-05756 Filed 3-17-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P