[Federal Register: November 19, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 224)]
[Notices]               
[Page 69663-69664]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19no08-91]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60 Day-09-09AF]

 
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 or 
send comments to Maryam Daneshvar PhD, CDC Reports Clearance Officer, 
1600 Clifton Road, MS-D74, Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an e-mail to 
omb@cdc.gov.
    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

[[Page 69664]]

technology. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this 
notice.

Proposed Project

    ``Evaluation of Pharmacy Syringe Access Linked to HIV Testing for 
Injection Drug Users in New York City (Pharm-HIV)''--New--National 
Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP). 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    HIV continues to be one of the leading causes of illness and death 
in the US, especially among black and Hispanic communities. For 
injection drug users (IDU), who are at high risk of acquiring HIV 
infection, HIV testing may not be readily accessible. In 2001, the New 
York State Legislature established an Expanded Syringe Access 
Demonstration Program (ESAP) in New York City which made syringes 
available through participating pharmacies for injection drug users. 
ESAP thus helped to reduce the burden of HIV by increasing access to 
sterile syringe sources. The ESAP allows for regular contact between 
pharmacists and their injection-drug-using syringe customers, thus 
paving the way for pharmacies to act as access points to health and 
social services among IDU customers. The expansion of pharmacy services 
to include referrals for injection-drug-using syringe customers is 
based on the successes of ESAP, which provides many services beyond 
syringe exchange.
    This project involves two kinds of studies: testing service models 
at pharmacies and, interviewing individuals regarding the availability 
of syringes through pharmacies. For testing service models CDC will 
collaborate with the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) to implement 
this project for a period of three years.
    The NYAM will identify 12 ESAP pharmacies in East Harlem, New York 
City; ten of which will test a model that refers injection-drug-using 
syringe customers for HIV testing to local HIV testing sites. Two ESAP 
pharmacies will evaluate the feasibility of offering and performing HIV 
counseling and testing in the pharmacy for injection-drug-using syringe 
customers.
    Two types of respondents will provide the individual-level data; 
forty-eight adult (age >=18 yrs) pharmacy staff members will be 
surveyed to learn about pharmacy staff attitudes and behaviors 
regarding HIV testing and referral. The other respondent group will be 
442 adult (age >=18 yrs) injection-drug-using syringe customers who 
will complete a brief quantitative interview after HIV referral or HIV 
testing is offered to them. HIV-seropositive injection-drug-using 
syringe customers identified during HIV testing will be immediately 
linked to social and medical services. There is no cost to respondents 
other than their time.

                                       Estimate of Annualized Burden Table
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                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of       Number of      burden per     Total burden
            Types of data collection                respondents    responses per   response  (in    (in hours)
                                                                    respondent        hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pharmacy telephone screening and enrollment form              24               1           10/60               4
Pharmacy staff surveys--baseline, every six                   48               5           20/60              80
 months x 3, and at end of study................
Pharmacy staff brief surveys--monthly except                  12              19           10/60              38
 when 6 monthly surveys are completed...........
Pharmacy daily syringe sales log................              12             600            5/60             600
Injection-drug-using syringe customer surveys...             442               1           30/60             221
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............             943
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    Dated: November 7, 2008.
Maryam I. Daneshvar,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. E8-27448 Filed 11-18-08; 8:45 am]

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