2015-24681. Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has submitted the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The notice for the proposed information collection is published to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies.

Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information are encouraged. Your comments should address any of the following: (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 agencies' 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.

To request additional information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the information collection plan and instruments, call [phone] or send an email to [e-mail]. Written comments and/or suggestions regarding the items contained in this notice should be directed to the Attention: CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC 20503 or by fax to [phone]. Written comments should be received within 30 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System—Revision—Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services (CSELS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

The Public Health Services Act (42 U.S.C. 241) authorizes CDC to disseminate nationally notifiable condition information. The Nationally Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) is based on data collected at the state, territorial and local levels as a result of legislation and regulations in those jurisdictions that require health care providers, medical laboratories, and other entities to submit health-related data on reportable conditions to public health departments. These reportable conditions, which include infectious and non-infectious diseases, vary by jurisdiction depending upon each jurisdiction's health priorities and needs. Infectious disease agents and environmental hazards often cross geographical boundaries. Each year, the Council of State and Territorial Disease Epidemiologists (CSTE), supported by CDC, determines which reportable conditions should be designated nationally notifiable and voluntarily submitted to CDC so that information can be shared across jurisdictional boundaries and both surveillance and prevention and control activities can be coordinated at regional and national levels.

CDC requests a three-year approval for a Revision for the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS), (OMB Control No. 0920-0728, Expiration Date 01/31/2017). This Revision includes new requests for approval to: (1) Replace “Hepatitis C virus, past or present” and “Hepatitis C, acute” with “Hepatitis C” on the List of Nationally Notifiable Conditions, (2) replace all listed Arboviral conditions with an inclusive category, “Arboviral Diseases” on the List of Nationally Notifiable Conditions, (3) receive case notification data for Hantavirus infection, non-Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, (4) receive case notification data for Acute Flaccid Myelitis should it become nationally notifiable, (5) receive case notification data for Amebic Encephalitis should it become nationally notifiable, (6) receive new laboratory and vaccine data elements for all conditions, and (7) receive new disease-specific data elements for Mumps, Pertussis, Varicella, Arboviral Diseases, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD).

Although this Revision includes case notifications that were not part of the last NNDSS Revision, the estimate of the average burden per response based on the burden tables from all of the consolidated applications has not changed. The burden on the states and cities is estimated to be 10 hours per response and the burden on the territories is estimated to be 5 hours per response. The addition of new vaccine, laboratory, and disease-specific data elements do not add any additional burden because the states, territories, and cities already collect those data elements. There will be no increase in burden for the states, territories, and cities to send those data elements to CDC. The estimated annual burden is 28,340 hours.

Estimated Annualized Burden Hours

Type of respondents	Form name	Number of respondents	Number of responses per respondent	Avg. burden per response (in hrs.)
States	Weekly and Annual	50	52	10
Territories	Weekly and Annual	5	52	5
Cities	Weekly and Annual	2	52	10

Leroy A. Richardson,

Chief, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific Integrity, Office of the Associate Director for Science, Office of the Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.