Office of Public Health and Science

Types of Information Disseminated by the Agency to the Public

The pre-dissemination review described in the guidelines only applies to information disseminated on or after October 1, 2002. The administrative mechanism for correction applies to information that the agency disseminates on or after October 1, 2002, regardless of when the agency first disseminated the information.

The purpose of these Guidelines is to provide guidance to OPHS offices about administrative procedures to ensure the quality of information they disseminate to the public.  The Guidelines also provide guidance to the public about how to file a complaint about the quality of the substantive information disseminated by OPHS offices and how OPHS offices should respond to public complaints.   The Guidelines apply to substantive information disseminated by OPHS offices and representing OPHS/HHS views.   Substantive information includes consumer and professional education materials, scientific and technical reports, policy and program recommendations, research findings from sponsored grants that include a dissemination component, and public speeches representing official HHS policy.   The Guidelines do not apply to information that is labeled with a disclaimer as not representing agency views, intra- or inter- agency information, regulations, compliance oversight reports, grant and program announcements, or information describing basic agency operations.

OPHS offices disseminate a variety of public health and science information to the public. The primary types of information disseminated are consumer and professional education and scientific and technical reports. Information disseminated by OPHS is based on science, derived from state of the art knowledge, and peer-reviewed by experts inside and outside government, depending on the nature of the information.

For example, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion disseminates information about national disease prevention and health promotion goals and objectives such as the Healthy People 2010 document published in November 2000. The Office on Women's Health disseminates consumer education about women's health issues in the form of pocket planners, annual daybooks, and fact sheets such as the 2002 Women's Health Daybook Living Long, Living Well. The Office of Minority Health disseminates information on minority health issues through two nationally distributed newsletters. The Office of the Surgeon General disseminates information on high priority national public health issues in the form of Surgeon General Reports, Calls to Action and National Strategies such as the Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity 2001.

3. Types of Dissemination Methods

OPHS offices use both print and electronic methods to disseminate information. Offices use Web sites, clearinghouses (telephone information services), print reports, print brochures and newsletters, fact sheets, and a variety of consumer and professional educational materials, such as bookmarks, wallet cards, day planners, and pocket guides. OPHS staff also makes public speeches representing OPHS/HHS public health policy matters. These speeches are presentations of substantive content, not public affairs events.

4. Agency Quality Assurance Policies, Standards, and Processes for Ensuring the Quality of Information Disseminated to the Public

It is OPHS policy to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of information that it disseminates to the public according to the standards set forth in the OMB, HHS and OPHS guidelines. OPHS offices strive to provide information that is accurate, reliable, clear, complete, unbiased, and useful. OPHS offices are committed to integrating the principle of information quality into every phase of information development, including creation, collection, maintenance, and dissemination.

The general standard for information disseminated by OPHS offices is the best available public health and science information. Best available is determined by information published in the highest quality peer-reviewed journals, comparison with best practices as established by the relevant discipline, and reviews by expert panels, individual subject experts, external Advisory Committees, Coordinating Committees with subject experts from HHS agencies, Steering Committees, and staff review.  OPHS reviews the quality (including the objectivity, utility, and integrity) of information before it is disseminated and treats information quality as integral to every step of the development of information, including its creation, collection, maintenance and dissemination. For consumer and professional educational materials, appropriateness of the materials for the intended users is a special focus. Appropriateness is determined through staff review, focus groups, user surveys, audience testing, and dissemination of information and materials for public comment. Depending on the subject matter, disseminated information may also be subject to review by legal staff.

Further, staff strives to collect updated, timely information and remain aware of emerging and newly developed data.  In addition, staff is committed to demonstrating in the Paper Reduction Act (PRA) clearance packages that each draft information collection will result in information that will be collected, maintained, and used in a way that is consistent with OMB, HHS and OPHS information quality guidelines.

5. Agency Administrative Complaint Procedures

OPHS has developed administrative mechanisms to allow affected persons to seek and obtain correction of disseminated information that does not comply with OMB, HHS and OPHS guidelines.

1.      Responsibility of the Complainant

To seek a correction of information disseminated by the agency, individuals should follow the procedures described below. Complainants should be aware that they bear the ‘burden of proof’ with respect to the necessity for correction as well as with respect to the type of correction they seek.

A complaint or request for review and correction of information must be in written hard copy or electronic form; sent to the agency by mail or electronic-mail (e-mail); and state that an information request for correction is being submitted.

The complaint shall contain

1.       a detailed description of the specific material that needs to be corrected including where the material is located, i.e. the publication title, date, and publication number, if any, or the Web site and Web page address (url), or the speech title, presenter, date and place of delivery; and

2.       the specific reasons for believing the information does not comply with OMB, HHS or OPHS guidelines and is in error and supporting documentation, if any;

3.       the specific recommendations for correcting the information;

4.       a description of how the person submitting the complaint is affected by the information error; and

5.       the name, mailing address, telephone number, e-mail address, and organizational affiliation, if any, of the individual making the complaint.

Complaints should be addressed and submitted to:

Executive Officer
Office of Public Health and Science
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Ave, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201

Alternatively, complaints may be e-mailed to: hthompson@osophs.dhhs.gov

B.          Responsibility of the Agency

Based on a review of the information provided, the relevant OPHS office will determine whether a correction is warranted and, if so, what action to take. The office will respond to the requestor by letter or e-mail. The office's response will explain the findings of the review and the actions that the office will take, if any. The response will consider the nature and timeliness of the information involved and such factors as the significance of the correction on the use of the information, the magnitude of the correction, and the resource requirements for the correction. The response will describe how the complainant may request reconsideration. The office will respond to all requests for correction within 60 calendar days of receipt. If the request requires more than 60 calendar days to resolve, the office will inform the complainant that more time is required and indicate the reason why and an estimated decision date.

C.          Appeals

If the individual submitting the complaint does not agree with the office's decision (including the corrective action, if any), the complainant may send a written hard copy or electronic request for reconsideration within 30 days of receipt of the office's decision. The appeal shall state the reasons why the office response is insufficient or inadequate. Complainants shall attach a copy of their original request and the office response to it, clearly mark the appeal with the words, "Information Quality Appeal" and send the appeal to the OPHS appeals address.

The office official who resolved the original complaint will not have responsibility for the appeal.  OPHS will respond to all requests for appeals within 60 calendar days of receipt.  If the request requires more than 60 calendar days to resolve, OPHS will inform the complainant that more time is required and indicate the reason why and an estimated decision date.

Appeals should be addressed and submitted to:

Executive Officer
Office of Public Health and Science
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Ave, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
hthompson@osophs.dhhs.gov

6. Influential Scientific, Financial and Statistical Information

Given the OPHS mission, from time to time, OPHS offices disseminate information that is regarded as influential. In these instances, OPHS adheres to the highest standards of transparency about information sources, methods and analytical techniques. This influential information is in the form of scientific and technical reports. These reports compile, synthesize, and analyze state-of-the-art knowledge about high priority public health issues that have not previously received sufficient attention. The reports include data from published sources and the public domain, as well as expert opinion, consensus, and recommendations. The sources of underlying data are referenced in reports. Typically, the sponsoring or disseminating office does not conduct original research for these reports, although the office may convene Advisory Groups, Steering Committees, Coordinating Committees or similar bodies as well as take public comment. This input may become part of the report.