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[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 232 (Friday, December 1, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75289-75290]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-30651]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control And Prevention

[60Day-01-05]

Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

    In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork reduction Act of 1995, the Center for Disease Control and 
Prevention is providing opportunity for public comment on proposed data 
collection projects. To request more information on the proposed 
projects or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and 
instruments, call the CDC Reports Clearance Officer on (404) 639-7090.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques for other 
forms of information technology. Send comments to Anne O'Connor, CDC 
Assistant Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D24, 
Atlanta, GA 30333. Written comments should be received within 60 days 
of this notice.

Proposed Project

    Validation of Self-Reported Arthritis Case Definitions in a Managed 
Care Setting--New--National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and 
Health Promotion (NCCDPHP), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(CDC). It is difficult to estimate the burden of arthritis on the 
American public because many patients with arthritis do not seek 
treatment from a health care provider for the condition. The Behavioral 
Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is an ongoing telephone survey 
that is being used by individual states and the CDC to measure the 
burden of arthritis. The BRFSS collects a wide variety of self-reported 
health information, including 6 questions on arthritis. A BRFSS case of 
arthritis is defined as any person who reports chronic joint symptoms 
or recalls a diagnosis of arthritis by a health care provider. However, 
the BRFSS case

[[Page 75290]]

definition has not been validated, meaning it is unclear if patients 
who report arthritis symptoms or a diagnosis of arthritis truly have 
arthritis based on a clinical evaluation by a health care provider. It 
is also not known if persons who deny chronic joint symptoms and do not 
recall a diagnosis of arthritis are free of the condition. It is 
essential to know the validity of the BRFSS case definition because 
this survey is currently being used to estimate the burden of arthritis 
on the population.
    To assess whether the BRFSS case definition of arthritis is valid, 
patients aged 45 and older who are enrolled in the Fallon Clinic, (a 
health maintenance organization in central and eastern Massachusetts), 
and have an upcoming annual physical examination with a primary care 
physician will be identified through the computerized appointment 
system. A letter will be sent to 2,100 patients aged 45 to 64 and 2,900 
patients aged 65 and older two weeks prior to their scheduled visit 
informing them of this study and that a research assistant will be 
calling to conduct a 10 minute interview in the next few days. The 
telephone survey will identify patients in each age group (aged 45 to 
64 and aged 65 and older), who fall into the four following categories: 
(1) Chronic joint symptoms without a diagnosis of arthritis from a 
health care provider; (2) a diagnosis of arthritis by a health care 
provider without chronic joint symptoms; (3) both chronic joint 
symptoms and a diagnosis of arthritis by a health care provider; and 
(4) no chronic joint symptoms and no diagnosis of arthritis by a health 
care provider. A standardized history and physical examination will be 
performed on at least 50 persons in the two age groups who fall in the 
4 categories described above. Those patients who complete the 
examination will receive a $20.00 gift certificate. Results of this 
clinical evaluation will be compared to the telephone survey responses 
and also to data derived from ambulatory encounters to assess the 
validity of the arthritis case definition. There are no cost to 
respondents.

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                                                                                      Average
                   Respondents                       Number of     Responses per    burden  (in    Total  burden
                                                   responndents     respondents       hours)        (in hours)
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Patients--phone survey..........................           3,000               1           10/60             500
Patients--physical exam.........................             500               1           30/60             250
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
      Total.....................................  ..............  ..............  ..............             750
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    Dated: November 27, 2000.
Nancy Cheal,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning, and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 00-30651 Filed 11-30-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P
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