[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 140 (Friday, July 22, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43864-43865]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-15735]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-22-22HN; Docket No. CDC-2022-0089]


Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice with comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as part 
of its continuing effort to reduce public burden and maximize the 
utility of government information, invites the general public and other 
federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a proposed information 
collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This 
notice invites comment on a proposed information collection project 
titled School-Based Active Surveillance (SBAS) of Myalgic 
Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Among 
Schoolchildren: Phase-2 of the National Roll-Out. This project will 
expand on the work from the pilot phase and increase the number of 
local schools, school districts, states and subsequently school nurses 
involved in active surveillance of chronic conditions, including ME/
CFS, using an electronic data collection platform.

DATES: CDC must receive written comments on or before September 20, 
2022.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CDC-2022-
0089 by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow 
the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection Review 
Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road 
NE, MS H21-8, Atlanta, Georgia 30329.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and Docket Number. CDC will post, without change, all relevant comments 
to www.regulations.gov.
    Please note: Submit all comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
portal (www.regulations.gov) or by U.S. mail to the address listed 
above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the information collection plan 
and instruments, contact Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection 
Review Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton 
Road NE, MS H21-8, Atlanta, Georgia 30329; Telephone: 404-639-7570; 
Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), federal agencies must obtain approval from 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of 
information they conduct or sponsor. In addition, the PRA also requires 
federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register 
concerning each proposed collection of information, including each new 
proposed collection, each proposed extension of existing collection of 
information, and each reinstatement of previously approved information 
collection before submitting the collection to the OMB for approval. To 
comply with this requirement, we are publishing this notice of a 
proposed data collection as described below.
    The OMB is particularly interested in comments that will help:
    1. 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;
    2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected;
    4. 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 
submissions of responses; and
    5. Assess information collection costs.

Proposed Project

    School-Based Active Surveillance (SBAS) of Myalgic 
Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Among Schoolchildren: Phase-
2 of the National Roll-Out--New--National Center for Emerging Zoonotic 
and Infectious Disease (NCEZID), Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), a 
complex, chronic, debilitating multi-system disease, affects an 
estimated 836,000 to 2.5 million persons in the United States. However, 
about 90% of people with ME/CFS have not received an official diagnosis 
from a healthcare professional. ME/CFS affects up to two in 100 
children and adolescents, which often goes undiagnosed by healthcare 
professionals.
    Data on chronic conditions among schoolchildren, such as asthma, 
has been collected over the years, but there has been little to no 
emphasis on ME/CFS in the United States. Chronic conditions among 
school-aged children likely account for a high proportion of chronic 
school absenteeism and school withdrawal. Conducting active 
surveillance among students using school nurses could expedite the 
diagnosis and management of children who present with symptoms commonly 
seen in ME/CFS. This involves educating school nurses about ME/CFS and 
its related syndromes, how to best approach parents and guardians when 
suggesting the diagnosis, and how to

[[Page 43865]]

support the educational success of students with chronic diseases.
    National active surveillance in schools for ME/CFS coupled with 
education of school nurses about ME/CFS could help improve measuring 
the burden of ME/CFS in children and provide insights for future plans 
to improve healthcare in children suffering from ME/CFS and other 
chronic health conditions. In the next phase of this project, we will 
expand the active surveillance project beyond the pilot schools to 
include additional schools in the pilot states as well as in other 
states. In this national rollout, school nurses will continue to 
receive education on data collection and ME/CFS as well as technical 
assistance and training on using the electronic data collection 
reporting platform.
    CDC requests OMB approval for an estimated 631 annual burden hours. 
There is no cost to respondents other than their time to participate.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of       Number of      burden per     Total  burden
      Type of respondents           Form name       respondents    responses per   response  (in    (in hours)
                                                                    respondent        hours)
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Frontline School Nurses.......  Electronic                    20               4               5             400
                                 Platform
                                 Quarterly
                                 Chronic
                                 Absenteeism
                                 Data Reporting
                                 Form.
Frontline School Nurses.......  Demographic Data              20               1               6             120
                                 Collection
                                 Points.
Frontline School Nurses.......  Site Baseline                 20               1           12/60               4
                                 Survey.
Frontline School Nurses.......  Question Guide                20               3           90/60              90
                                 for Face-to-
                                 Face Evaluation
                                 Interviews.
State Data Coordinators.......  Webinar 1                     50               1           18/60              15
                                 Feedback Form.
School District Representative  School District                8               1           18/60               2
                                 Feedback Form.
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................  ................  ..............  ..............  ..............             631
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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. 2022-15735 Filed 7-21-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P