[Federal Register: January 25, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 17)]
[
Notices]
[Page 4574-4575]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25ja08-72]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[30Day-08-07AS]
Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes a
list of information collection requests under review by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a copy of these requests, call
the CDC Reports Clearance Officer at (404) 639-5960 or send an e-mail
to omb@cdc.gov. Send written comments to CDC Desk Officer, Office of
Management and Budget, Washington, DC or by fax to (202) 395-6974.
Written comments should be received within 30 days of this notice.
Proposed Project
Focus Group Testing and Survey on Radiological Event Messages for
Public Health Workers--New--National Center for Environmental Health
(NCEH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Background and Brief Description
In January 2003, CDC held a roundtable to specifically address
communications needs likely to arise in the aftermath of a terrorist
event involving mass casualties. Hospital administrators and
clinicians, public health practitioners, and emergency planners
emphasized the gaps in their training and in their knowledge of how to
respond to nuclear or radiological events.
Concurrent with this, CDC began working with the Association of
Schools of Public Health (ASPH) to assess knowledge, attitudes, and
behaviors related to preparedness for a radiological or nuclear
terrorist event in the United States. The strong and clear message
delivered to the CDC was that both the professional (e.g., clinicians
and public health workers) and the lay American public were unprepared
to respond to such an event (Becker 2004). Specifically, clinicians who
participated in the research acknowledged a lack of training and
preparedness, a potential unwillingness to treat patients if they are
perceived as radiologically contaminated, and concerns about public
panic and consequent overwhelming of hospitals and other clinical
systems. More importantly, findings from the meeting revealed a
critical need to assess communication preparedness among public health
workers in relation to radiological emergencies.
This proposal addresses the need for the development of clear
communication messages in the event of a radiological incident. As part
of a cooperative agreement, CDC has contracted with the National Public
Health Information Coalition (NPHIC) to collect data from public health
workers in 6 states--California, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, North Carolina
and South Carolina--to evaluate a set of messages that have been
developed by CDC for public health workers to use before, during and
after a radiological event. The 5 communication messages focus on the
main concerns expressed by representatives from these 6 states and
other participants in audience research. The participating states
volunteered for this project. Public health workers referenced in this
proposal are nurses, physicians, clinical technicians, administrative,
management and support staff and epidemiologists.
CDC's primary goal is to protect the health and safety of the
public. Since public health workers are usually first responders in
various capacities in the event of a radiological emergency, the need
to develop time-sensitive and consistent communication messages is
vital. Developing clear messages that can be used by public health
workers as an integral part of their radiological emergency plan is
consistent with this goal. These message concepts, which range from how
to protect the worker and family to the role of the public health
worker during a radiological emergency will serve as a reference tool
and guidance for state health departments in the event of such
situations.
This proposal seeks approval to obtain data using two methods,
focus group testing and electronic surveys to achieve greater results.
Focus group
[[Page 4575]]
testing will be conducted to obtain qualitative data that will be
gathered through a series of six focus groups of public health workers,
one in each participating state. The focus groups will consist of 12
participants and will be about 1\1/2\ hours in length. The focus group
testing will assess attitudes, knowledge and emotional responses. Of
particular interest will be how the participants might react to
radiological concepts pertaining to their roles as public health
workers and scenarios that will be included in the messages.
Quantitative data will be obtained through a one-time written
electronic survey to randomly selected public health workers in the six
states. The participants who will be participating in the electronic
survey will not be included in the focus group testing.
CDC proposes to use this information to develop a final set of
communication messages. The intent is for the messages to be
disseminated using various methods and to provide a more consistent
platform for states to respond to radiological emergencies. This
research will help refine messages that have the ability to increase
the percentage of workers who present to deliver services in a
radiological emergency. Also, as a result of the study, CDC will have a
set of tested public health messages that can allow public health
workers to speak with one voice to the general public in a radiological
emergency. In addition, the development of these messages will foster
collaboration among the states and CDC.
Therefore, CDC requests approval to test one set of five messages
among public health workers using focus group testing and electronic
surveys. The surveys and focus groups will include questions about how
believable the messages are, what would make them more believable, the
need for additional information for a clearer understanding of the
messages, how and if the messages help them to feel safe, and what
would make them easier to understand.
There is no cost to the respondents other than their time. The
total estimated annualized burden hours are 782 hours.
Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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Average
Form of collecting Number of Number of burden per
Type of respondent information respondents responses per response (in
respondent hours)
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Public Health Workers................. Focus Groups............ 72 1 90/60
Public Health Workers................. E-mail Surveys.......... 2022 1 20/60
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Dated:January 16, 2008.
Maryam I. Daneshvar,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
[FR Doc. E8-1233 Filed 1-24-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P