[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 110 (Monday, June 9, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32959-32961]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-13346]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[30Day-14-14RJ]
Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has submitted
the following information collection request to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The notice for the proposed
information collection is published to obtain comments from the public
and affected agencies.
Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected
agencies concerning the proposed collection of information are
encouraged. Your comments should address any of the following: (a)
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; (b) Evaluate the
accuracy of the agencies estimate of the burden of the proposed
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology
and assumptions used; (c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of
the information to be collected; (d) 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,
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e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses; and (e) Assess
information collection costs.
To request additional information on the proposed project or to
obtain a copy of the information collection plan and instruments, call
(404) 639-7570 or send an email to [email protected]. Written comments and/or
suggestions regarding the items contained in this notice should be
directed to the Attention: CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management and
Budget, Washington, DC 20503 or by fax to (202) 395-5806. Written
comments should be received within 30 days of this notice.
Proposed Project
Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response
(CASPER)--New--National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH), Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Background and Brief Description
CDC requests a three-year approval for a new Generic Information
Collection Request (ICR) for the Community Assessment for Public Health
Emergency Response (CASPER). CASPER is an effective public health tool
designed to quickly provide low-cost, household-based information about
a community's needs and health status in a simple, easy-to-understand
format for decision-makers. A CASPER can be conducted any time the
public health needs of a community are not well known, including as
part of disaster/emergency response to help inform decision making and
distribution of resources, or in non-emergency settings to assess the
public health needs of a community. In all situations, CASPER provides
timely public health information that is essential when engaging in
sound public health action.
In order for a CASPER to be initiated by CDC, a local, state,
tribal, military, port, other federal agency, or international health
authority or other partner organization must first invite CDC to
participate in a CASPER. Communities are identified by local, state, or
regional emergency managers and health department officers. The process
for conducting a CASPER includes planning and preparation, field work,
analysis, and sharing results with stakeholders. Planning can take 24
hours to several months depending on the type of CASPER being
conducted. Field work takes approximately five days. Due to emergency
situations under which CASPERs are often requested by states (e.g.,
hurricane response, oil spill), it is important that CDC has the
ability to gain urgent approval for data collection.
The CASPER uses a validated statistical methodology that includes a
two-stage probability sampling technique to collect information from a
representative sample of 210 households in the community. Within the
community, 30 clusters (typically census tracts) are selected based on
probability proportional to size and, within each cluster, seven
households are randomly selected for interview.
Participation in a CASPER questionnaire is voluntary. Consenting
participants are not provided incentives for participating in the
survey. Face-to-face interviews, usually taking 30 minutes or less,
with one adult (>= 18 years of age) from a selected household are
recorded on paper or in electronic form. In general, yes/no and
multiple choice questions are used to collect household level
information including, but not limited to, the following categories:
Housing unit type and extent of damage to the dwelling, household
needs, physical and behavioral health status, perception and response
to public health communications, household emergency preparedness, and
greatest reported need. While a majority of CASPERs collect only
household-level information, there may be instances where the
questionnaires are modified to collect a small amount of individual
level data.
Participants give verbal consent. Additionally, no data is
collected that could link specific questionnaires to house addresses.
Separate from the questionnaire, a tracking form is used to record the
number of households visited, calculate response rates, and record
households that should be revisited because a respondent was
unavailable for interview. A complete addresses, including house
number, street name, city, state, and zip code, are never recorded on
any form. This information is not retained by CDC or entered into any
database. There is no way to link data from the tracking form to
specific household questionnaires.
Though each CASPER will be different, in general, personally
identifying information is not collected. In a minimal number of
CASPERs, interview teams may come across households with urgent needs
that present an immediate threat to life or health, where calling
emergency services immediately is not appropriate. In these instances,
the team may refer the household to appropriate services using a
referral form that is not attached to the questionnaire. In the scant
instances where these forms are utilized, personally identifying
information is collected. However, the forms go directly from the field
team to the local CASPER coordinator for handling and rapid follow-up.
When referral forms are used, the information is never retained by CDC
or entered into any database. There is no way to link specific
questionnaires to any information on the referral form.
The estimated annualized burden is 1,577 hours. The estimated
burden is based on conducting 15 CASPERs per year, interviewing 210
households per CASPER, conducting 30 minute interviews per household,
and completing 50 referral forms per year. There is no cost to
respondents other than their time.
Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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Average
Number of Number of burden per
Type of respondents Form name respondents responses per response (in
respondent hrs.)
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Residents of the selected geographic CASPER Questionnaire...... 3,150 1 30/60
area to be assessed.
Referral Form............. 50 1 2/60
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[[Page 32961]]
Leroy Richardson,
Chief, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific
Integrity, Office of the Associate Director for Science, Office of the
Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2014-13346 Filed 6-6-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P