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 efforts to reduce public burden and maximize the utility of government information, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This notice invites comment on a proposed project entitled “Reframing How We Talk About Alcohol: Public Perceptions of Excessive Alcohol Use Among Multiple Audiences.” CDC will seek a one-year approval for a new information collection request to assess the public's perceptions and frames regarding alcohol use and its related harms, gain insights on the language the public uses when talking about excessive alcohol use, examine patient-provider communication about alcohol use, and evaluate the influence of other sources of information on the public's understanding of excessive alcohol use.

DATES:

Written comments must be received on or before January 17, 2017.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CDC-2016-0108, by any of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking portal: Regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail: Leroy A. Richardson, 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. All relevant comments received will be posted without change to Regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received, go to Regulations.gov.

Please note:

All public comment should be submitted 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 the Information Collection Review Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE., MS-D74, Atlanta, Georgia 30329; phone: 404-639-7570; 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 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 OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, we are publishing this notice of a proposed data collection as described below.

Comments are invited on: (a) 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; (b) 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; (c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) 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 submission of responses); and (e) Assess information collection costs. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose, or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed to review instructions; to develop, acquire, install and use technology and systems for the purpose of collecting, validating and verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; to train personnel and be able to respond to a collection of information, search data sources, and complete and review the collection of information; and to transmit or otherwise disclose the information.

Proposed Project

Reframing How We Talk About Alcohol: Public Perceptions of Excessive Alcohol Use and Related Harms—NEW—National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDD), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

Excessive alcohol consumption leads to a variety of negative health and social consequences. Those who drink heavily have an increased risk for certain chronic diseases, such as hypertension, psychological disorders, and various forms of cancer. Excessive alcohol use also can result in societal harms, such as unintentional injuries, violence, and high economic costs.

Fortunately effective prevention strategies are available to reduce excessive alcohol use and its related harms. However, it is difficult to craft public health messages and communication strategies to change alcohol-related attitudes and behaviors because the range of knowledge and beliefs about excessive alcohol use and its risks is not well understood. Despite the fact that public health experts recommend that alcohol screening and brief counseling be provided to adults in primary care settings, data indicate that only one of six U.S. adults reported ever discussing alcohol use with a health professional. To develop an effective, consistent messaging strategy, a deeper understanding of how the public thinks and talks about alcohol is required. The research will be used to inform the development of patient and provider materials and messages about excessive alcohol use and related harms.

The one-year study proposes a series of individual in-depth interviews and triads (small group discussions with three participants) with 54 participants identified by contractor staff and professional recruiting firms. Data will be collected through one-time, 90-minute in-depth interviews or triads. Up to 300 individuals will be screened to obtain 54 individuals who will participate in 90-minute in-depth interviews or triads. All data will be collected only one time. Respondents who will participate in these interviews and triads will be selected purposively to inform the development of a messaging strategy. Topics addressed may include alcohol and its related harms, language used when talking about alcohol, how people talk about alcohol with their health care providers, and sources of information about alcohol.

The information gathered through this data collection will allow CDC to develop an effective messaging strategy that reframes the way the public thinks and communicates about excessive alcohol use. Participation is voluntary, and there is no cost to respondents other than their time.

The total estimated annualized burden hours are 132.