[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 76 (Wednesday, April 22, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18383-18384]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-9156]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[60-Day-09-09BL]
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 PhD, 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
The Epidemiology and Impact of Workplace Violence in Pennsylvania
Teachers and Paraprofessionals--NEW--National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC).
Background and Brief Description
Workplace violence (WPV) is a significant concern for employers and
employees alike; every year in the U.S., WPV results in hundreds of
deaths, nearly two million nonfatal injuries, and billions of dollars
in costs. Historically, the education field has not been the focus of
WPV research; however, the classroom is a workplace too. From 1999 to
2003, teachers were the victims of approximately 183,000 nonfatal
crimes including 119,000 thefts and 65,000 violent crimes such as rape
and assault.
Workplace violence is not limited to physical attacks; verbal
threats, bullying, and harassment also produce psychological harm to
teachers and school staff. A newer form of such violence is that of
electronic aggression. The CDC defines the problem as: ``Any type of
harassment or bullying (teasing, telling lies, making fun of someone,
making rude or mean comments, spreading rumors, or making threatening
or aggressive comments) that occurs through e-mail, a chat room,
instant messaging, a Web site (including blogs) or text messaging.''
While a recent study found that 35% of young people had been the
victims of electronic aggression, the impact of this in the workplace
is relatively unknown. The extant evidence indicates that working in a
school environment carries an excess risk for becoming a victim of some
form of WPV; however, little is known about the incidence or risk
factors for such.
The Occupational Safety and Health Act, Public Law 91-596 (section
20[a] [1]) authorizes the National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health (NIOSH) to conduct research to advance the health and safety
of workers. NIOSH is conducting a population-based, cross-sectional
survey among teachers and paraprofessionals in the state of
Pennsylvania. The goals of this study are (1) Estimate the number and
prevalence proportions (rates) of physical, non-physical, and
electronic WPV in teachers and paraprofessionals; (2) Identify the
circumstances and most common risk factors for physical, non-physical,
and electronic WPV in teachers and paraprofessionals; (3) Measure the
impact of WPV on job satisfaction and quality of life.
NIOSH is proposing to conduct a population-based, cross-sectional
survey among teachers and paraprofessionals in the state of
Pennsylvania. Paper-and-pencil surveys will be mailed to potential
participants through the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers (PFT),
Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PA-AFT), and the Pennsylvania
State Education Association (PSEA). Since approximately 90% of teachers
and 65% of paraprofessionals in the state of Pennsylvania hold
membership in one of these three unions and no known state-wide
database exists that includes both teachers and paraprofessionals, a
sample of eligible participants will be drawn using state-based union
records.
A stratified random sample will be drawn to ensure
representativeness on important dimensions such as gender of
participant and urban-rural status of the school district. In
conjunction with each participating union, study packets consisting of
an introduction letter, paper-and-pencil survey, and non-response form
will be mailed to eligible participant's home addresses. The
questionnaire is a paper-and-pencil survey and provides information on
the following categories: demographics, occupation, physical assault
characteristics, non-physical assault characteristics, electronic
aggression characteristics, job satisfaction, and quality of life.
The sample size for the cross-sectional survey is estimated to be
approximately 6,450 teachers and paraprofessionals. This estimate is
based on the number of reported teachers and paraprofessionals
represented by the three unions participating in this study and on an
80% response rate that is comparable to the response rate of previously
conducted surveys in similar populations. Pilot test data demonstrates
that respondents should take approximately 30 minutes to complete the
paper-and-pencil survey, resulting in an annualized burden estimate of
3,225 hours. Participation in the study is completely voluntary.
Once the study is completed, NIOSH will provide a copy of the final
report to each participating union.
There are no costs to the respondents other than their time.
[[Page 18384]]
Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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Number of Average burden
Respondents Number of responses per per response Total burden
respondents respondent (in hours) (in hours)
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Teachers & Support Personnel.................... 6,450 1 0.5 3,225
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Total....................................... .............. .............. .............. 3,225
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Dated: April 15, 2009.
Maryam I. Daneshvar,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Science Officer,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. E9-9156 Filed 4-21-09; 8:45 am]
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