E7-17386. Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

In compliance with section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 concerning opportunity for public comment on proposed collections of information, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. To request more information on the proposed projects or to obtain a copy of the information collection plans, call the SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer on [phone].

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collections of information are 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.

Proposed Project: 2008-2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Methodological Field Tests—NEW

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), formerly the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA), is a survey of the civilian, non-institutionalized population of the United States 12 years old and older. The data are used to determine the prevalence of use of tobacco products, alcohol, illicit substances, and illicit use of prescription drugs. The results are used by SAMHSA, ONDCP, Federal government agencies, and other organizations and researchers to establish policy, direct program activities, and better allocate resources.

This will be a request for generic approval for information collection for NSDUH methodological field tests designed to examine the feasibility, quality, and efficiency of new procedures of revisions to the existing survey protocol. These field tests will examine ways to increase data quality, lower operating costs, and gain a better understanding of various sources of nonsampling error. If these tests provide successful results, current procedures may be revised and incorporated into the main study (e.g., questionnaire changes). Particular attention will be given to minimizing the impact of design changes so that survey data continue to remain comparable over time.

Field test activities are expected to include improving response rates among persons residing in controlled access communities (locked apartment buildings, gated communities, college dormitories, etc.), and conducting a nonresponse follow-up study. Cognitive laboratory testing will be conducted prior to the implementation of significant questionnaire modifications. These questionnaire modifications will also be pre-tested and the feasibility of text-to-speech software determined. To understand the effectiveness of current monetary incentive, a new incentive study will be conducted with varying incentive amounts. The relationship between incentives and veracity of reporting will also be examined. Tests will also be designed to determine the feasibility of alternative sample designs and modes of data collection. Lastly, a customer satisfaction survey of NSDUH data users will be conducted to improve the utility of the NSDUH data. Some of the above studies may be combined to introduce survey efficiencies.

The average annual burden associated with these activities over a three-year period is summarized below:

Activity	Number of responses	Responses per respondent	Average burden per response (hr.)	Total burden (hrs.)
a. Improving participation among controlled access and other hard-to-reach populations	417	1	1.0	417
b. Nonresponse follow-up	2000	1	1.0	2000
c. Incentive Study	2000	1	1.0	2000
d. Validity study (including testing methods for biological data specimens)	2500	1	1.0	2500
e. Cognitive laboratory testing	90	1	1.0	90
f. Annual questionnaire pre-test	670	1	1.0	670
g. Field testing (alternative questions, data collection protocol, contact materials)	1000	1	1.0	1000
h. Text-to-speech software for voices in computer-assisted interviewing	100	1	1.0	100
i. Testing alternative sample designs (including alternative sampling frames)	1000	1	1.0	1000
j. Alternative modes of data collection (e.g., T-ACASI for Nonresponse follow-up)	100	1	1.0	100
k. Customer satisfaction survey of NSDUH data users	100	1	.25	25
Household screening for a-d, f-g, i-j	12,471	1	0.083	1035
Screening Verification for a-d, f-g, i-j	997	1	0.067	68
Interview Verification for a-d, f-g, i-j	1497	1	0.067	100
Total	24,942	—	—	11,105

Send comments to Summer King, SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer, Room 7-1044, One Choke Cherry Road, Rockville, MD 20857 and e-mail her a copy at [e-mail]. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.

Dated: August 23, 2007.

Elaine Parry,

Acting Director, Office of Program Services.