83 FR 39754 - Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 155 (August 10, 2018)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as part of its continuing effort to reduce public burden and maximize the utility of government information, invites the general public and other Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a proposed and/or continuing information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This notice invites comment on a proposed information collection project titled FoodNet Population Survey. The FoodNet Population Survey is conducted in 10 states and collects data on the prevalence of acute gastrointestinal illness in the United States and exposures associated with foodborne illness.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 155 (Friday, August 10, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39754-39755]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-17176]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-18-1112; Docket No. CDC-2018-0072]


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.

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SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as part 
of its continuing effort to reduce public burden and maximize the 
utility of government information, invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a proposed and/or 
continuing information collection, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995. This notice invites comment on a proposed 
information collection project titled FoodNet Population Survey. The 
FoodNet Population Survey is conducted in 10 states and collects data 
on the prevalence of acute gastrointestinal illness in the United 
States and exposures associated with foodborne illness.

DATES: CDC must receive written comments on or before October 9, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CDC-2018-
0072 by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Jeffrey M. Zirger, 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. CDC will post, without change, all relevant comments 
to Regulations.gov. Please note: Submit all comments 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 Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection 
Review Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton 
Road NE, MS-D74, Atlanta, Georgia 30329; phone: 404-639-7570; Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(PRA)

[[Page 39755]]

(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 also 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 the OMB for approval. To 
comply with this requirement, we are publishing this notice of a 
proposed data collection as described below.
    The OMB is particularly interested in comments that will help:
    1. 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;
    2. 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;
    3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    4. 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 
submissions of responses.
    5. Assess information collection costs.

Proposed Project

    FoodNet Population Survey--Extension ICR--National Center for 
Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    Foodborne illnesses represent a significant public health burden in 
the United States. It is estimated that each year, 48 million Americans 
(1 in 6) become ill, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die as the 
result of a foodborne illness. Since 1996, the Foodborne Diseases 
Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) has conducted active population-
based surveillance for Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, 
Listeria, Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157 and 
non-O157, Shigella, Vibrio, and Yersinia infections. Data from FoodNet 
serves as the nation's ``report card'' on food safety by monitoring 
progress toward CDC Healthy People 2020 objectives.
    Since the previous OMB approval, pilot testing has been completed 
and data collection began in all states. As of July 10, 2018 a total of 
11,657 surveys have been completed between all survey modes including 
landline, cell phone, web, and mail. CDC is seeking two years of OMB 
clearance for an extension of control number 0920-1112.
    Evaluation of efforts to control foodborne illnesses can only be 
done effectively if there is an accurate estimate of the total number 
of illnesses that occur, and if these estimates are recalculated and 
monitored over time. Estimates of the total burden start with accurate 
and reliable estimates of the number of acute gastrointestinal illness 
episodes that occur in the general community. To more precisely 
estimate this and to describe the frequency of important exposures 
associated with illness, FoodNet created the Population Survey.
    The FoodNet Population Survey is a survey of persons residing in 
the surveillance area. Data are collected on the prevalence and 
severity of acute gastrointestinal illness in the general population, 
describe common symptoms associated with diarrhea, and determine the 
proportion of persons with diarrhea who seek medical care. The survey 
also collects data on exposures (e.g. food, water, animal contact) 
commonly associated with foodborne illness. Information about food 
exposures in the general public has proved invaluable during outbreak 
investigations. The ability to compare exposures reported by outbreak 
cases to the `background' exposure in the general population allows 
investigators to more quickly pinpoint a source and enact control 
measures.
    CDC seeks approval for an OMB extension to continue this important 
work. The total estimated Burden Hours for this collection is 6,067 
annually. There is no cost to the respondents other than their time.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                     Number of    Average burden
      Type of respondents           Form name        Number of     responses per   per response    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent      (in hours)      (in hours)
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U.S. General Population.......  Population                18,200               1           20/60           6,067
                                 Survey.
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................  ................  ..............  ..............  ..............           6,067
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Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Acting 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.
[FR Doc. 2018-17176 Filed 8-9-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4163-18-P