[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 4, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47965-47966]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-12234]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-24-0572; Docket No. CDC-2024-0044]


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 continuing information 
collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This 
notice invites comment on a proposed information collection project 
titled Health Message Testing System (HMTS). The HMTS is a Generic 
information collection that enables programs across CDC to test 
proposed health messages on a target audience before these messages are 
disseminated to the public.

DATES: CDC must receive written comments on or before August 5, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CDC-2024-
0044 by any 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

    Health Message Testing System (HMTS) (OMB Control No. 0920-0572, 
Exp. 10/31/2024)--Extension--Office of Communication (OC), 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) is a Generic information 
collection, that 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 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

[[Page 47966]]

that can be used to create a mix of relevant questions for each 
proposed message testing data collection method. However, 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 out to the public quickly. Over the last 
three years, more than 22 messages have been tested using this 
clearance. CDC's Division of Tuberculosis Elimination was approved to 
conduct message testing for their Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI) 
Awareness Campaign within target audiences--non-US-born Vietnamese and 
Filipino persons and the healthcare professionals (primary care 
physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants) that serve 
them. Assessing the immediate effects of campaign materials provides 
helpful insights that can be used to inform adjustments of campaign 
materials for intended audiences.
    CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) 
is tasked with leading our nation's efforts to prevent chronic diseases 
by promoting good nutrition, regular physical activity, and a healthy 
weight. One of the key ways DNPAO does this is by providing State and 
community partners with practical tools to promote healthy lifestyles 
such as the SCHMC communication resources. It is imperative that this 
ad testing be conducted so that CDC/DNPAO can best support grantees and 
local partners by providing timely information about how specific ads 
resonate with key audiences. The insights gained from the ad testing 
also provided DNPAO with timely information to inform development of 
additional ads and communication materials that they will resonate with 
audiences and lead to intended actions/behavior changes related to 
increasing physical activity, reducing sugary drink consumption, and 
improving infant and toddler nutrition.
    The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) 
collected data to assess older adults' perceptions of products 
developed as part of the expansion phase of CDC's Still Going Strong 
Campaign. Digital products were developed as part of this effort to 
expand the campaign to address social connectedness and isolation. The 
messages conveyed the importance of social connectedness to health to 
maintaining a high quality of life as we age. Participants learned 
about how social connectedness as well as physical and mental health 
are interconnected and critical to the well-being of older adults.
    Over 17,307 respondents were queried and over 5,400 burden hours 
used during this time period. Because the availability of this data 
collection has been so critical to programs in disseminating their 
materials and information to the public in a timely manner, The Office 
of Communications is requesting a three-year Extension of this 
information collection. CDC requests OMB approval for an estimated 
2,470 annual burden hours. 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    Total burden
                                                    respondents    respondent       (in hours)      (in hours)
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Public Health Professionals,     Moderator's             18,525               1             8/60           2,470
 Health Care Providers, State     Guides,
 and Local Public Health          Eligibility
 Officials, Emergency             Screeners,
 Responders, General Public.      Interview
                                  Guides, Opinion
                                  Surveys, Consent
                                  Forms.
                                                   -------------------------------------------------------------
    Total......................  .................  ...........  ..............  ...............           2,470
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Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Public Health 
Ethics and Regulations, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2024-12234 Filed 6-3-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P