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[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 103 (Tuesday, May 29, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29152-29153]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-13344]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

Proposed Collection: Comment Request; a Study of Motivations and 
Deterrents to Blood Donation in the United States

SUMMARY: 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 National Heart, Lung, and 
Blood Institute (NHLBI), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will 
publish periodic summaries of proposed projects to be submitted to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval.

Proposed Collection

    Title: A Study of Motivations and Deterrents to Blood Donation in 
the United States. Type of Information Collection Request: NEW. Need 
and Use of Information Collection: There are serious blood shortages in 
the U.S. and the situation is predicted to worsen unless corrective 
measures are initiated. Through a randomized, anonymous mail survey of 
individuals who have donated blood at one of the five blood centers 
participating in the NHLBI Retrovirus Donor Study (REDS), this study 
will examine the personal, or

[[Page 29153]]

intrinsic reasons for choosing to donate blood, as well as external 
reasons for choosing to donate blood. Donors who do not initially 
respond to the mail survey will be given the opportunity to complete 
the survey on a secured website. Comparisons will be made between one-
time donors and repeat donors will be premise that repeat donors may 
have a stronger altruistic impetus for donating than donors who donate 
less frequently. Donors will be asked about the donation experience, 
the context in which he/she first donated blood, and questions 
addressing accessibility to donate. Using the Self-Report Altruism 
Scale, respondents will rate themselves based on other personal 
behaviors that are considered to exhibit social responsibility and/or 
altruism. Additionally, the study will examine possible barriers to 
donation, such as inconvenience, discomfort, and confidentiality, among 
donors who have not donated recently. With the majority of the blood 
supply coming from committed, repeat donors, information regarding why 
an individual decides to donate, and more importantly, what motivates 
them to come back, will provide valuable insight on possible strategies 
to encourage increased donation frequency among the current blood donor 
population. It is also important to gain perspective on why only 50% of 
first time donors return to donate again. Without successful 
recruitment of new regular donors it is impossible to sustain the blood 
supply and availability. Assessment of possible barriers to donation 
will provide areas for focusing improvement in the blood donation 
process. Blood availability continues to be one of the most serious 
problems facing the healthcare industry and was recently compounded by 
new Food and Drug Administration regulations regarding deferring donors 
who had traveled to or lived in the United Kingdom for a cumulative 
period of 6 months between 1980 and 1996. Data from this survey will 
provide a valuable perspective for devising strategies to increase 
blood donation the U.S. These data will be invaluable to NHLBI, FDA, 
and other government agencies in helping formulate policy for ensuring 
Americans that safe blood is available when needed. Frequency of 
Response: Once. Affected Public: Individuals. Type of Respondents: 
Adult Blood Donors. The annual reporting burden is as follows: 
Estimated Number of Respondents: 30,000; Estimated Number of 
Respondents per Respondent: 1; Average Burden Hours Per Response: 0.25; 
and Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours Requested: 7,500. The 
annualized cost to respondents is estimated at: $112,500 (based on $15 
per hour). There are no Capital Costs to report. There are no Operating 
or Maintenance Costs to report.

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                                                          Estimated number    Average burden    Estimated total
         Type of respondents           Estimated number    of respondents       hours per        annual burden
                                        of respondents     per respondent        response       hours requested
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Adult Blood Donors..................            30,000                  1               0.25              7,500
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Request for Comments

    Written comments and/or suggestions from the public and affected 
agencies should address one or more of the following points: (1) 
Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the function of the agency, including whether the 
information will have practical utility; (2) 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) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (4) Ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on those who are to respond, including the 
use of approprated automated, electronic, mechanical, or other 
technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.

Comments Due Date

    Comments regarding this information collection are best assured of 
having their full effect if received on or before July 30, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTRACT: To request more information on the 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and 
instruments, contact Dr. George J. Nemo, Group Leader, Transfusion 
Medicine, Scientific Research Group, Division of Blood Diseases and 
Resources, NHLBI, NIH, Two Rockledge Center, Suite 10042, 6701 
Rockledge Drive, MSC 7950, Bethesda, MD 20892-7950, or call (301) 435-
0075, or e-mail your request to: [email protected].

    Dated: May 17, 2001.
Donald Christoferson,
Executive Officer, NHLBI.
[FR Doc. 01-13344 Filed 5-25-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-M
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