[Federal Register: April 5, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 65)]
[Notices]
[Page 16788-16789]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05ap07-76]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[60 Day-07-07AS]
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 Joan Karr, 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
Focus Group Testing and Survey on Radiological Event Messages for
Public Health Workers--New--National Center for Environmental Health
(NCEH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Background and Brief Description
In January 2003, CDC held a roundtable to specifically address
communications needs likely to arise in the aftermath of a terrorist
event involving mass casualties. Hospital administrators and
clinicians, public health practitioners, and emergency planners
emphasized the gaps in their training and in their knowledge of how to
respond to nuclear or radiological events.
Concurrent with this, CDC began working with the Association of
Schools
[[Page 16789]]
of Public Health (ASPH) to assess knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors
related to preparedness for a radiological or nuclear terrorist event
in the United States. The strong and clear message delivered to the CDC
was that both the professional (e.g., clinicians and public health
workers) and the lay American public were unprepared to respond to such
an event (Becker 2004). Specifically, clinicians who participated in
the research acknowledged a lack of training and preparedness, a
potential unwillingness to treat patients if they are perceived as
radiologically contaminated, and concerns about public panic and
consequent overwhelming of hospitals and other clinical systems. More
importantly, findings from the meeting revealed a critical need to
assess communication preparedness among public health workers in
relation to radiological emergencies.
This proposal addresses the need for the development of clear
communication messages in the event of a radiological incident. As part
of a cooperative agreement, CDC has contracted with the National Public
Health Information Coalition (NPHIC) to collect data from public health
workers in 6 states--California, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, North Carolina
and South Carolina--to evaluate a set of messages that have been
developed by CDC for public health workers to use before, during and
after a radiological event. The 5 communication messages focus on the
main concerns expressed by representatives from these 6 states and
other participants in audience research. The participating states
volunteered for this project. Public health workers referenced in this
proposal are nurses, physicians, clinical technicians, administrative,
management and support staff and epidemiologists.
CDC's primary goal is to protect the health and safety of the
public. Since public health workers are usually first responders in
various capacities in the event of a radiological emergency, the need
to develop time-sensitive and consistent communication messages is
vital. Developing clear messages that can be used by public health
workers as an integral part of their radiological emergency plan is
consistent with this goal. These message concepts, which range from how
to protect the worker and family to the role of the public health
worker during a radiological emergency will serve as a reference tool
and guidance for state health departments in the event of such
situations.
This proposal seeks approval to obtain data using two methods--
focus group testing and electronic surveys--to achieve greater results.
Focus group testing will be conducted to obtain qualitative data that
will be gathered through a series of six focus groups of public health
workers, one in each participating state. Each focus group will consist
of 12 participants to equal 72 respondents, and will be about 1\1/2\
hour in length. The focus group testing will assess attitudes,
knowledge and emotional response. Of particular interest will be how
the participants might react to radiological concepts pertaining to
their roles as public health workers and scenarios that will be
included in the messages. Quantitative data will be obtained through a
one-time electronic survey to randomly selected public health workers
in the six states to equal 2,022 respondents. The participants who will
be participating in the electronic survey will not be included in the
focus group testing.
CDC proposes to use this information to develop a final set of
communication messages. The intent is for the messages to be
disseminated using various methods and to provide a more consistent
platform for states to respond to radiological emergencies. This
research will help refine messages that have the ability to increase
the percentage of workers who present to deliver services in a
radiological emergency. Also, as a result of the study, CDC will have a
set of tested public health messages that can allow public health
workers to speak with one voice to the general public in a radiological
emergency. In addition, the development of these messages will foster
collaboration among the states and CDC.
Therefore CDC requests approval to test one set of five messages
among public health workers using focus group testing and electronic
surveys. There are no costs to respondents except their time to
participate in the survey.
Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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Average
No. of Number of burden per Total burden
Respondents Respondents responses per response (in hours
respondent hours)
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Focus Groups.................................... 72 1 1.5 108
Electronic Surveys.............................. 2,022 1 20/60 674
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Total....................................... .............. .............. .............. 782
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Dated: March 29, 2007.
Joan F. Karr,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
[FR Doc. E7-6337 Filed 4-4-07; 8:45 am]
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