[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 3, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30230-30231]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-14646]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[INFO-98-20]


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 for opportunity for public comment on 
proposed data collection projects, the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC) will publish periodic summaries of proposed 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 Seleda Perryman, 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 Projects

    1. Reader Evaluation of ATSDR's Public Health Assessment and 
Consultation Products--(0923-0016)--Extension--ATSDR is seeking 
qualitative and quantitative information from its readers on how 
effectively it communicates its public health findings through its 
products and to find out what groups read and comment on ATSDR 
documents. ATSDR will use the information to identify the strengths and 
weaknesses of its reports from the reader's perspective, provide 
feedback to our designated reviewers, health assessors and managers, 
implement quality improvements in readability, risk communication, and 
the logical development of the science and findings in our public 
health products, and determine how to best serve each reading group.
    Based on review and evaluation of the comments received to date 
through this process, a few changes are being proposed on the survey 
instrument to improve several of the questions to make them clearer and 
more understandable. In addition to follow up with public libraries and 
repositories, included in the current OMB approval, other follow up 
mechanisms will be added. Another aspect is also being proposed for 
this request, a follow up to stimulate user participation in this 
evaluation. Based on responses from January 1995 to December 1997, an 
average of about 55 forms are distributed for each site (or document) 
and about 2 persons respond per site (or per document). Based on the 
number actually distributed (10,968) and received (398), the response 
rate has only been about 3.6%. By actively following up on a sample of 
200 distributed surveys and documents, we hope to increase the response 
rate to about 75%. Other than their brief time to participate, there 
are no costs involved for the responder to participate.
    A one-page, two-sided survey is provided with each public health 
document to persons who have requested to be on a mailing list to 
receive a copy. Federal Depository Libraries are also used to provide 
these documents and survey instruments. The persons receiving a 
document either reside near the hazardous release area or site or have 
been involved with the site or release in some way; they may include 
concerned community members, public employees, health care 
professionals, or some other group. The recipient is asked to complete 
and return the survey, which has a business reply label that is postage 
pre-paid. This is a request for a three-year extension. There is no 
cost to respondents.

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                                                                      No. of       Avg. burden/                 
                   Respondents                        No. of        responses/     response (in    Total burden 
                                                    respondents     respondent         hrs.)         (in hrs.)  
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Reader of public health document................             130               1            0.25              33
Librarian follow-up.............................             180               1            0.12              22
Reader follow-up................................             200               1            0.25              50
Nonresponder follow-up..........................             100               1            0.25              25
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............             130
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    2. Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program Quarterly Report 
(0920-0282)--Extension--The National Center for Environmental Health 
requests an extension of the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention 
Program Quarterly Report. Section 317A of the Public Health Service Act 
as amended by The Lead Contamination Control Act of 1988 and the 
Preventive Health Amendments of 1992, mandates that grant applicants 
report quarterly the number of infants and children screened for 
elevated blood lead levels, the number found to have elevated blood 
lead levels, the number and type of medical referrals made for them, 
and the outcome of such referrals. State and local health agencies are 
the principal delivery points for childhood lead screening and related 
medical and environmental management activities. In FY 1998, CDC 
awarded 41 grants to fund childhood lead poisoning

[[Page 30231]]

prevention programs. The purpose of the quarterly report is to report 
data collected by CDC's grantees. The report consists of narrative and 
data sections. The narrative section (1) provides highlights of 
quarterly activities, (2) reports issues and activities that have 
significant impact on the program, and (3) lists objectives and 
discusses progress towards meeting those objectives. The data section 
provides (1) screening and case confirmation activities, (2) 
environmental inspection and hazard remediation activities, and (3) 
medical case management activities. The total cost to the respondents 
is $0.00.

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                                                                      No. of       Avg. burden/                 
                   Respondents                        No. of        responses/     response (in    Total burden 
                                                    respondents     respondent         hrs.)         (in hrs.)  
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Grantees........................................              41               4               2             328
    Total.......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............             328
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    3. Evaluation of Effectiveness of Worker Notifications Conducted by 
NIOSH--(New)--The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 
(NIOSH) has conducted worker notification formally since 1988. This 
program informs workers in NIOSH-conducted epidemiological studies 
about the study results and hence, of their risks. NIOSH worker 
notification officers conducted a two-task evaluation project approved 
by OMB in 1993. Task 1 of the project evaluated the long-term impact of 
a high risk worker notification, and Task 2 evaluated the short-term 
impact and effectiveness of the notification materials themselves, with 
the goal of developing a monitoring instrument for routine use. A 
monitoring instrument was developed for routine use to evaluate 
effectiveness of ongoing worker notification activities. This 
instrument was refined over three field trials, involving a random 
sample set of 25 notified workers in each trial. A second instrument 
for use with other stakeholders (company and union officials) in the 
notifications also was developed. The design of these evaluation 
projects was descriptive in nature, gathering information from small 
groups of workers, for the purpose of learning how to improve the NIOSH 
worker notification program.
    Having completed the data collection and final report for Task 2 of 
the evaluation project, we now are seeking approval to use the program 
monitoring worker survey instrument on a routine basis to assess 
effectiveness of ongoing letter notifications conducted by NIOSH 
notification officers. As with the design of the three trials in Task 
2, ongoing routine assessment would include for each letter-type 
notification, our contacting by telephone a random sample of 25 workers 
who received notification letters and related materials, and at least 
one company representative and one union representative (where 
appropriate). A 15-minute telephone survey would be administered to the 
notified workers, and an up to 30 minute interview would be conducted 
with the other stakeholders (e.g., company and union representatives). 
The total annual cost to respondents for the study is $1187.50.

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                                                                     No. of                                     
             Respondents (workers)                   No. of        responses/     Avg. burden/     Total burden 
                                                   respondents     respondent       response        (in hrs.)   
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Task 1.........................................             750               1             .25            187.5
Task 2.........................................              60               1             .50             30  
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    Total......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............            217.5
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    Dated: May 28, 1998.
Charles W. Gollmar,
Acting Associate Director for Policy Planning and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 98-14646 Filed 6-2-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P