E7-705. 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 F. Karr, CDC Acting Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D74, Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an e-mail to [e-mail].

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

National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System (NHBS)—New—National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHSTP), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

The purpose of this data collection is to monitor behaviors related to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection among persons at high risk for infection in the United States. The primary objectives of the system are to obtain data from samples of persons at risk to: (a) Describe the prevalence and trends in risk behaviors; (b) describe the prevalence of and trends in HIV testing and HIV infection; (c) describe the prevalence of and trends in use of HIV prevention services; (d) identify met and unmet needs for HIV prevention services in order to inform health departments, community based organizations, community planning groups and other stakeholders. This project addresses the goals of CDC's HIV prevention strategic plan, specifically the goal of strengthening the national capacity to monitor the HIV epidemic to better direct and evaluate prevention efforts.

Data are collected through in-person interviews conducted with persons systematically selected from 25 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) throughout the United States; these 25 MSAs were chosen based on having high AIDS prevalence. Persons at risk for HIV infection to be interviewed for NHBS include men who have sex with men (MSM), injecting drug users (IDU), and heterosexual persons living in census tracts that have high HIV/AIDS prevalence (HET). A brief screening interview will be used to determine eligibility for participation in the full survey. The data from the full survey will provide estimates of behavior related to the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, prior testing for HIV, and use of HIV prevention services. All persons interviewed will also be offered an HIV test, and will participate in a pre-test counseling session. No other federal agency systematically collects this type of information from persons at risk for HIV infection. This data will have substantial impact on prevention program development and monitoring at the local, state, and national levels.

CDC estimates that NHBS will involve, per year in each of the 25 MSAs, eligibility screening for 50 to 200 persons and eligibility screening plus the survey and HIV testing with 500 eligible respondents, resulting in a total of 37,500 eligible survey respondents and 7,500 ineligible screened persons during a 3-year period. Data collection will rotate such that interviews will be conducted among one group per year: MSM in year 1, IDU in year 2, and HET in year 3. The type of data collected for each group will vary slightly due to different sampling methods and risk characteristics of the group. Participation of respondents is voluntary and there is no cost to the respondents other than their time.

Estimated Annualized Burden Hours

Respondents	Number of respondents	Number of responses per respondent	Average burden per response (in hours)	Total burden (in hours)
MSM:
Screener only	5,000	1	5/60	417
Screener, survey, and testing	12,500	1	65/60	13,542
IDU:
Screener only	1,250	1	5/60	104
Screener, survey, and testing	12,500	1	90/60	18,750
HET:
Screener only	1,250	1	5/60	104
Screener, survey, and testing	12,500	1	75/60	15,625
Total				48,542

Dated: January 12, 2007.

Deborah Holtzman,

Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.