[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 28 (Monday, February 12, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6571-6572]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-2310]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-07-0630]


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 404-639-5960 
and send comments to Joan Karr, CDC Acting Reports Clearance Officer, 
1600 Clifton Road, MS-D74, Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an e-mail 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

    Work Organization Predictors of Depression in Women--Extension--The 
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    Depression is a costly and debilitating occupational health 
problem. Research has indicated that the costs to an organization of 
treatment for depression can rival those for heart disease, and both 
major depressive disorder and forms of minor depression have been found 
to be associated with more disability days than other types of health 
diagnoses. This may be of particular relevance for working women. 
Various national and international studies indicate that women in 
developed countries experience depression at up to twice the rate of 
men. Studies that have examined this gender difference have focused on 
social, personality, and genetic explanations while few have explored 
factors in the workplace that may contribute to the gender 
differential. Examples of workplace factors that may contribute to 
depression among women include: Additive workplace and home 
responsibilities, lack of control and authority, and low paying and low 
status jobs. Additionally, women are much more likely to face various 
types of discrimination in the workplace than men, ranging from 
harassment to inequalities in hiring and promotional opportunities, and 
these types of stressors have been strongly linked with psychological 
distress and other negative health outcomes. On the positive side, 
organizations that are judged by their employees to value diversity and 
employee development engender lower levels of employee stress, and 
those that enforce policies against discrimination have more committed 
employees. Such organizational practices and policies may be beneficial 
for employee mental health, particularly the mental health of women.
    This research focuses on the following questions: (1) Which work 
organization factors are most predictive of depression in women, and 
(2) are there measurable work organization factors that confer 
protection against depression in women employees?
    The research uses repeated measures, prospective design with data 
collection at three points (baseline and 1-year and 2-year follow-ups). 
A 45-minute survey

[[Page 6572]]

is being administered by telephone to 400 women and men at 16 different 
organizations. The survey contains questions about traditional job 
stressors (e.g., changes in workload, social support, and work roles), 
stressors not traditionally examined, but which may be linked with 
depressive symptoms among women (e.g., roles and responsibilities 
outside of the workplace, discrimination, and career issues) depression 
symptoms, and company policies, programs and practices. One Human 
Resource (HR) representative at each company has also been surveyed 
about company policies, programs and practices. Analyses will determine 
which work organization factors are linked with depressive symptoms and 
what effect the organizational practices/policies of interest have on 
depression. Findings from this prospective study will also help target 
future intervention efforts to reduce occupationally related depression 
in women workers. An extension request is being sought for an 
additional three years, in order to finish data collection. There will 
be no cost to the respondents other than their time.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                                      Average
                                                      No. of          No. of        burden per     Total burden
                   Respondents                      respondents    responses per   response  (in    (in hours)
                                                                    respondent        hours)
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Employees.......................................             400               3           45/60             900
HR Representatives..............................              16               1           20/60               5
                                                                                                 ---------------
                                                  ..............  ..............  ..............             905
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    Dated: February 5, 2007.
Joan F. Karr,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. E7-2310 Filed 2-9-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P