[Federal Register: April 15, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 73)]
[Notices]
[Page 20296-20297]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15ap08-83]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[60Day-08-0572]
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 Maryam I. Daneshvar, CDC Acting 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 technology. Written comments should be received
within 60 days of this notice.
Proposed Project
Health Message Testing System, 0920--0572--Revision--National
Center for Health Marketing (NCHM), Coordinating Center for Health
Information and Service (CCHIS), Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention CDC).
Background and Brief Description
The National Center for Health Marketing (NCHM) was established as
part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Futures
Initiative to help ensure that health information, interventions, and
programs at CDC are based on sound science, objectivity, and continuous
customer input.
Before CDC disseminates a health message to the public, the message
always undergoes scientific review. However, reflecting the current
state of scientific knowledge accurately provides no guarantee that the
public will understand a health message or that the message will move
people to take recommended action. Communication theorists and
researchers agree that for health messages to be as clear and
influential as possible, target audience members or representatives
must be involved in developing the messages and provisional versions of
the messages must be tested with members of the target audience.
However, increasingly there are circumstances when CDC must move
swiftly to protect life, prevent disease, or calm public anxiety.
Health message testing is even more important in these instances,
because of the critical nature of the information need. Consider the
following situations:
CDC must communicate about a hazard, outbreak, or other emergency
that presents an urgent threat to one or more segments of the public.
The national crisis in which anthrax spores contaminated mail, postal
facilities, and congressional buildings is a striking example.
CDC receives a mandate from Congress with a tight deadline for
communicating with the public about a specific topic. For example, in
1998 Congress gave CDC 120 days to develop and test messages for a
public information campaign about Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that
can cause stomach ulcers and increase cancer risk if an infected
individual is not treated with antibiotics.
Emerging lifestyle or technological trends create an ephemeral
opportunity to leverage the attention or behavior of the public to
increase the reach and/or salience of prevention messages. For example,
media monitoring reveals a partnership between Napster, a music-based
web site, and the Pennsylvania State University. This partnership
creates an ample opportunity for CDC to join in the collaboration to
reach students with a salient health promotion message. For instance, a
ticker found on the top of the Napster homepage screen might contain an
informational URL followed by a message encouraging students,
especially those residing in dormitories, to receive the meningitis
inoculation series at their campus health center. This message would be
tailored prior to the beginning of each academic year and would need to
be posted in a timely manner before the arrival of the incoming
freshman class.
Of equal importance, this communication mechanism can be
effectively used in emergency ``rapid response'' situations such as the
campus shooting incidents at Virginia Tech and North Illinois
University.
In the interest of timely health message dissemination, many
programs forgo the important step of testing messages on dimensions
such as clarity, salience, appeal, and persuasiveness (i.e., the
ability to influence behavioral intention). Skipping this step avoids
the delay involved in the standard OMB review process, but at a high
potential
[[Page 20297]]
cost. Untested messages can waste communication resources and
opportunities because the messages can be perceived as unclear or
irrelevant. Untested messages can also have unintended consequences,
such as jeopardizing the credibility of Federal health officials.
There is no cost to the respondents other than their time.
Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Average burden
Data collection method Number of responses per per response Total burden
respondents respondent (in hours) hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Central Location Intercept Interviews........... 300 12 5/60 300
Telephone Interviews............................ 300 12 4/60 240
Individual In-depth Interview (Cognitive 200 10 6/60 200
Interviews)....................................
Focus Group Screenings.......................... 900 10 3/60 450
Focus Groups.................................... 300 20 8/60 ..............
Online Surveys.................................. 400 12 6/60 480
---------------------------------------------------------------
Total....................................... 2,400 .............. .............. 2,470
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dated: April 8, 2008.
Maryam I. Daneshvar,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
[FR Doc. E8-7973 Filed 4-14-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P