[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 119 (Wednesday, June 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37050-37051]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-15105]



[[Page 37050]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60-Day-12-12NT]


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 404-639-7570 or 
send comments to Kimberly S. Lane, at 1600 Clifton Road, MS D74, 
Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an email to [email protected].
    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 or other 
forms of information technology. Written comments should be received 
within 60 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

    Early Hearing Detection and Intervention--Pediatric Audiology Links 
to Service (EHDI-PALS) Survey--New--National Center on Birth Defects 
and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD), Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    The Division of Human Development and Disability, located within 
NCBDDD, promotes the health of babies, children, and adults, with a 
focus on preventing birth defects and developmental disabilities and 
optimizing the health outcomes of those with disabilities. Since the 
passage of the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Act, 97% 
of newborn infants are now screened for hearing loss prior to hospital 
discharge. However, many of these infants have not received needed 
hearing test and follow up services after their hospital discharges. 
The 2009 national average loss to follow-up/loss to documentation rate 
is at 45%. This rate remains an area of critical concern for state EHDI 
programs and CDC-EHDI team's goal of timely diagnosis by 3 months of 
age and intervention by 6 months of age. Many states cite the lack of 
audiology resource as the main factor behind the high loss to follow 
up. To compound the problem, many pediatric audiologists may be 
proficient evaluating children age 5 and older but are not proficient 
with diagnosing infants or younger children because children age 5 and 
younger require a different skill set. To date, no existing literature 
or database is available to help states verify and quantify their 
states' true follow-up capacity.
    EHDI-PALS is a project conceptualized by the CDC-EHDI team with 
input from an advisory group of external partners. EHDI-PALs workgroup 
has broad representation from American Speech-Language-Hearing 
Association (ASHA), American Academy of Audiology (AAA), Joint 
Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH), National Centre for Hearing 
Assessment and Management (NCHAM), Directors of Speech and Hearing 
Programs in State Health & Welfare Agencies (DSHPSHWA), Healthcare 
Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), University of Maine 
Center for Research and Evaluation, and Hands & Voices (H&V). Meeting 
since April 2010, the EHDI-PALS workgroup has sought consensus on the 
loss to follow up/loss to documentation issue facing the EHDI programs. 
A survey, based on standard of care practice, was developed for state 
EHDI programs to quantify the pediatric audiology resource distribution 
within their state, particularly audiology facilities that are equipped 
to provide follow-up services for children age 5 and younger. The 
survey will also capture how often providers report diagnostic hearing 
test results to their state EHDI jurisdiction.
    CDC is requesting OMB approval to collect audiology facility 
information from audiologists or facility managers over a one-year 
period. The survey will allow CDC-EHDI team and state EHDI programs to 
compile a systematic, quantifiable distribution of audiology facilities 
and the capacity of each facility to provide services for children age 
5 and younger. The data collected will also allow the CDC-EHDI team to 
analyze facility distribution data to improve technical assistance to 
State EHDI programs.
    Respondents will all be audiologists who manage a facility or 
provide audiologic care for children age 5 and younger. Based on 
calculations from ASHA's biannual membership survey (available in 
ASHA.org), we estimate approximately 1,000 audiologists will respond to 
the survey. To minimize burden and improve convenience, the survey will 
be available via a secure password protected Web site. Placing the 
survey on the Internet ensures convenient, on-demand access by the 
audiologists. Financial cost is minimized because no mailing fee will 
be associated with sending or responding to this survey.
    It is estimated that, potentially, 1,500 audiologists will read 
through the opening introduction page of the survey to decide whether 
or not to complete the survey. This will take 1 minute per person. It 
is estimated 1,000 audiologists will complete the survey, which will 
average 9 minutes per respondent. There are no costs to respondents 
other than their time.

                                      Estimates of Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                     Number of    Average burden
          Respondents               Form name        Number of     responses per   per response    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent     (in minutes)        hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Audiologists..................  survey                     1,500               1            1/60              25
                                 introduction.
Audiologists..................  survey..........           1,000               1            9/60             150
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals....................  ................  ..............  ..............  ..............             175
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[[Page 37051]]

Kimberly S. Lane,
Deputy Director, Office of Scientific Integrity, Office of the 
Associate Director for Science, Office of the Director, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2012-15105 Filed 6-19-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P