Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

AGENCY:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION:

Notice with comment period.

SUMMARY:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as part of its continuing effort to reduce public burden and maximize the utility of government information, invites the general public and other Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a proposed and/or continuing information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This notice invites comment on a proposed information collection project titled Data Collection Through Web Based Surveys for Evaluating Act Against AIDS Social Marketing Campaign Phases Targeting Consumers. This proposed information collection activity includes the use of web surveys to test campaign messaging.

DATES:

CDC must receive written comments on or before November 8, 2021.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CDC-2021-0092 by any of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail: Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection Review Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS-D74, Atlanta, Georgia 30329.

Instructions: All submissions received must include the Agency name and Docket Number. CDC will post, without change, all relevant comments to Regulations.gov.

Please note: Submit all comments through the Federal eRulemaking portal (regulations.gov) or by U.S. mail to the address listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request more information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the information collection plan and instruments, contact Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection Review Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS-D74, Atlanta, Georgia 30329; phone: 404-639-7118; Email: omb@cdc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. In addition, the PRA also requires Federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each new proposed collection, each proposed extension of existing collection of information, and each reinstatement of previously approved information collection before submitting the collection to the OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, we are publishing this notice of a proposed data collection as described below.

The OMB is particularly interested in comments that will help:

1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;

4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses; and

5. Assess information collection costs.

Proposed Project

Data Collection Through Web Based Surveys for Evaluating Act Against AIDS Social Marketing Campaign Phases Targeting Consumers (OMB Control No. 0920-0920, Exp. 11/30/2021)—Extension — National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

In response to the continued HIV epidemic in our country, CDC launched the Let's Stop HIV Together campaign (formerly known as Act Against AIDS), a multifaceted communication campaign to reduce HIV incidence in the United States in 2009. CDC has released the campaign in phases, with some of the phases running concurrently. Each phase of the campaign uses mass media and direct-to-consumer channels to deliver messages. Some campaigns provide basic education and increase awareness of HIV/AIDS among the general public whereas others emphasize HIV prevention and testing among specific subgroups or communities at greatest risk of infection. CDC will also develop new messages to address changes in prevention science and subpopulations affected by HIV. The proposed study will assess the effectiveness of these social marketing messages aimed at increasing HIV/AIDS awareness, increasing prevention behaviors, and improving HIV testing rates among consumers.

This Extension of an ongoing study will allow for continued evaluation of the effectiveness of Let's Stop HIV Together social marketing campaign through surveys with consumers. A total of 6,445 respondents were approved for the previously renewed Generic ICR (0920-0920) in 2018, and since the approval date, 1,000 respondents were surveyed under the GenIC, “Development of Messages for the Let's Stop HIV Together National Campaign”. The information collected from this survey was used to evaluate the acceptability and potential effectiveness of proposed concepts, messages, and taglines for a component of the Let's Stop HIV Together campaign focused on HIV prevention that promotes proven, effective prevention strategies, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and treatment as prevention (TasP).

CDC is requesting a one-year extension to continue surveying target audiences. Through this extension, we plan to reach the remaining approved 5,445 respondents. To obtain the remaining respondents, we anticipate screening approximately 30,880 individuals. Depending on the target audience for the campaign phase, the study screener will vary. The study screener may address one or more of the following items: Race/ethnicity, sexual behavior, sexual orientation, gender identity, HIV testing history, HIV status, and injection drug use. Each survey will have a core set of items asked in all rounds, as well as a module of questions relating to specific Let's Stop HIV Together phases and activities.

Respondents will be recruited through national opt-in email lists, the internet, and external partnerships with community-based and membership organizations that work with or represent individuals from targeted populations (e.g., National Urban League, the National Medical Association). Respondents will self-administer the survey at home on personal computers. In total CDC requests approval for an estimated 3,751 burden hours. There is no cost to the respondents other than their time.