2010-21159. Proposed Collection; Comment Request; NCCAM Office of Communications and Public Liaison Communications Program Planning and Evaluation Research

SUMMARY:

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 National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects to be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval.

Proposed Collection: Title: NCCAM Office of Communications and Public Liaison Communications Program Planning and Evaluation Research. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension.

Need and Use of Information Collection: To carry out NCCAM's legislative mandate to educate and disseminate information about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to a wide variety of audiences and organizations, the NCCAM Office of Communications and Public Liaison (OCPL) requests clearance to carry out formative research of a variety of print and online materials, outreach activities, and messages to maximize their impact and usefulness.

OCPL wishes to continue to carry out formative research to further understand the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of its core constituent groups: Members of the general public, researchers, and providers of both conventional and CAM health care. In addition, it seeks to test newly formulated messages and identify barriers and impediments to the effective communication of those messages. With this formative audience research, OCPL test audience responses to NCCAM's fact sheets, Web content, and other materials and messages. This research will also include pilot testing of recently developed messages and communication products.

The data collection methods have been selected to minimize burden on NCCAM's audiences, produce or refine messages that will influence target audience attitudes and behavior in a positive manner, and to use Government resources efficiently. Research methods may include individual in-depth interviews, focus group interviews, intercept interviews, self-administered questionnaires, gatekeeper reviews, and omnibus surveys.

The data will enhance OCPL's understanding of (1) the unique information needs and distinct health-information-seeking behaviors of its core constituencies, and (2) the special information needs of segments within these constituencies. Among the general public these distinct segments include cancer patients, the chronically ill, minority and ethnic populations, the elderly, users of dietary supplements, and patients integrating complementary therapies with conventional medical treatments.

Frequency of Response: On occasion. Affected Public: Individuals and households; non-profit institutions; Federal Government; State, Local, or Tribal Government. Type of Respondents: Adult patients; members of the public; health care professionals; organizational representatives. The annual reporting burden is as follows:

Table 1—Annual Burden Hours

Type of respondents	Estimated number of respondents	Estimated number of responses per respondent	Average burden hours per response	Estimated total annual burden hours requested
In-depth interviews with general public	30	1	.75	23
Focus groups	20	1	1.5	30
Omnibus surveys	1,900	1	.25	475
Intercept interviews with public and healthcare professionals	300	1	.25	75
In-depth interviews with health professionals	50	1	.50	25
Self-administered questionnaires with health professionals	200	1	.25	50
Total	2,500			678

Table 2—Annual Cost to Respondents

Type of respondents	Number of hours	Hourly wage*	Respondent cost
In-depth interviews with general public	23	$21	$483
Focus groups	30	21	630
Intercept interviews with public	70	21	1,470
Omnibus surveys with public	475	21	10,500
Intercept interviews with healthcare professionals	5	**63	315
In-depth interviews with health professionals	25	63	1,575
Self-administered questionnaires with health professionals	50	63	3,150
Total	678		18,123
* 2009 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates (http://www.bls.gov/​oes/​current/​oes_​nat.htm)
** Healthcare professional hourly wage was calculated by averaging the median hourly wage for physicians and surgeons ($84) and the median hourly wage for physician assistants, as representatives of the second tier of clinical care ($41) to get an average of $63 per hour.

There are no Capital Costs, Operating Costs, or Maintenance Costs to report.

Request for Comments: Written comments and/or suggestions from the public and affected agencies are invited on the following points: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the function of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumption used; (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request more information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and instruments, contact Christy Thomsen, Director, Office of Communications and Public Liaison, NCCAM, 31 Center Drive, Room 2B11, Bethesda, MD 20892, or fax your request to 301-402-4741, or e-mail [e-mail]. Ms. Thomsen can be contacted by telephone at 301-451-8876.

Comments Due Date: Comments regarding this information collection are best assured of having their full effect if received within 60 days of the date of this publication.

Dated: August 12, 2010.

Christy Thomsen,

Director, Office of Communications and Public Liaison, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Institutes of Health.