[Federal Register: February 23, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 34)]
[Notices]
[Page 8092]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23fe09-65]
[[Page 8092]]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Health Statistics: Notice of Sample Size
Changes
AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of
Health and Human Services.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, has provided statistics on the health
of the American people for almost 50 years. Two of its preeminent
surveys, the National Health Interview Survey and the National Health
and Nutrition Examination Survey are at the half century mark. The
quality of NCHS' statistical program is of critical concern to the
Center. Data on sample design, data quality and estimation techniques
are discussed in detail in NCHS reports and in the proposed data
collections that are published in the Federal Register and submitted to
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval.
The timelines for preparing and submitting requests for OMB
approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act and for the Federal
Government's budget process often are not synchronized. Thus it is
possible that a survey may receive OMB approval for collection of data
from a certain number of respondents before the necessary resources
have been appropriated in the federal budget. In all cases, the design
of the survey allows for changes to the number of respondents without
jeopardizing the representativeness of the weighted survey results. In
addition, information on final sample sizes is included with each data
release.
Over the last decade NCHS has made a number of program changes to
stay within existing resources, including changes to survey design and
sample size, in order to continue carrying out its mission and maintain
its program quality. Three surveys have had or may have sample size
reductions take place in FY 2009 and FY 2010. They are the National
Health Interview Survey, the National Hospital Discharge Survey and the
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
The National Health Interview Survey
The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) is an in-person
household-based survey. The sample design that was in place from 1995
through 2005 called for a sample of 39,000 households and 100,000
individuals. However, in 2002, 2003, and 2004, the sample was reduced
on average to approximately 36,000 households and approximately 93,000
individuals.
The sample design implemented in 2006 called for a permanent one-
eighth reduction in sample size. However, from 2006-2008, existing
resources necessitated a further reduction in sample size down to about
29,000 households and about 76,000 individuals (see table below). The
present plan is to reduce the 2009 NHIS to a sample size of about
17,000 households and 43,600 sample persons. All attempts will be made
to reinstate the original sample design; however, final decisions on
the implementation of the 2010 survey are contingent on available
resources.
Table 1--Counts of Interviewed Persons and Households in the 2000-2010 NHIS
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2008 2009 with 2010 with
Year 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 expected a 50% cut a 50% cut
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No. of persons......................... 100,618 100,761 93,386 92,148 94,460 98,649 75,716 75,764 75,500 43,589 43,589
No. of households...................... 38,633 38,932 36,161 35,921 36,579 38,509 29,204 29,266 29,000 16,848 16,848
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The National Hospital Discharge Survey
The National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS) is an establishment-
based survey of inpatients discharged from a nationally-representative
sample of hospitals. It has been fielded continuously since 1965 with a
planned redesign for 2010 pending the results of pretesting the new
design elements. With existing resources, it was decided to reduce the
sample size by approximately one-half for both hospitals and patients
for 2008. Present plans are to finish data collection for the 2008
survey but not to field the 2009 survey. Decisions on the 2010 survey
and the implementation of the redesign are contingent on available
resources and the results of the pretest.
The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a
nationally-representative survey involving both an interview and
physical examination, was first fielded 50 years ago (1959) as the
National Health Examination Survey. Until 1999 NHANES was fielded
periodically but is now in the field continuously. Specifically, the
design now allows for nationally-representative data to be publicly
released every two years. The current NHANES was designed to be
collected over the four-year period 2007-2010. Data collection for 2007
and 2008 has been completed. With existing resources, NCHS is
maintaining sample size and content for 2009; however capital
improvements for FY2009 have been reduced. Final decisions on the
implementation of the 2010 survey are contingent on available
resources.
For Questions Contact: Jennifer H. Madans, PhD, Associate Director
for Science, National Center for Health Statistics, 3311 Toledo Road,
Room 7207, Hyattsville, MD 20782, e-mail: JMadans@cdc.gov.
Dated: February 9, 2009.
James D. Seligman,
Chief Information Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. E9-3797 Filed 2-20-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P