[Federal Register: October 7, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 195)]
[Notices]               
[Page 58534-58535]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07oc08-37]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

 Census Bureau

 
Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; National 
Immunization Survey Evaluation Study

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on 
or before December 8, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at dHynek@doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Andrea L. Piani, Census Bureau, Room HQ-6H035, 
Washington, DC 20233-8400, (301) 763-5379.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

I. Abstract

    At the behest of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(CDC), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Census Bureau 
plans to conduct an evaluation study of the National Immunization 
Survey (NIS). The purpose of this study is to explore how collaborating 
with the Census Bureau and using the American Community Survey (ACS) as 
the sampling frame for selecting eligible households could result in 
improvements to the current NIS. Use of the ACS as a sampling frame, 
which includes non-landline households and identifies households with 
age-eligible children, could overcome the current NIS non-coverage 
issue and substantially reduce data collection costs.
    The NIS is a continuing, nationwide random-digit-dialing (RDD) 
telephone survey of families with children ages 19 to 35 months, or 
teens ages 13-17 years followed by a mailed survey to children's 
immunization providers. Since the survey's inception to the present, 
private contractors have conducted the NIS for the CDC. National, 
state, and local level estimates of vaccine-specific coverage, 
including newly licensed vaccines, are produced annually.
    The NIS was established to provide an on-going, consistent data set 
for analyzing vaccination coverage among young children in the United 
States and disseminating this information to state and local health 
departments and other interested public health partners. Legal 
authorization to conduct the survey is

[[Page 58535]]

granted by Title 13, United States Code, Section 8 and by the Public 
Health Service Act, Title 42, United States Code, Sections 306 & 
2102(a)(7).
    In response to one of the goals of the 1993 Childhood Immunization 
Initiative, to monitor childhood immunization coverage and provide 
important statistics about childhood vaccinations and related health 
matters, funding for the NIS was provided and data collection began in 
April 1994. Furthermore, the scope of the program expanded to include 
assessing progress towards the national vaccination goals set forth by 
the Childhood Immunization Initiative of 1996. Currently, the NIS 
provides vaccination coverage estimates annually for children aged 19-
35 months and teens aged 13-17 years, by state and at least six city/
county areas. The information collected is used to evaluate state and 
local immunization programs, to develop health care policies, and to 
assist in the determination of funding allocations for the Vaccines for 
Children (VFC) program. Since 1994, the VFC program has helped families 
of children who may not otherwise have access to vaccines by providing 
free vaccines to doctors who serve them.
    In recent years, the NIS has covered a decreasing portion of the 
target population, particularly children aged 19-35 months living in 
households with cell phone, but not landline telephone service. As part 
of the CDC's continuing effort to evaluate and refine the NIS, this 
study is intended to explore how partnering with the Census Bureau and 
sampling from the ACS for households with age-eligible children having 
landline, cell phone only, and no telephone service could result in 
improvements to the survey especially in terms of coverage, response, 
and cost.

II. Method of Collection

    Data collection for the NIS Evaluation Study will use a multi-mode 
approach. First, computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) will 
be conducted with households with age-eligible children (19-35 months) 
to collect information on the vaccinations received for each age-
eligible child, as well as information on vaccination providers. 
Second, in-person follow-up interviews with non-responders, including 
households with no telephone service, will be conducted. Due to 
constraints in time and resources, the follow-up interviews for the 
evaluation study will be conducted using paper-and-pencil interviewing 
methods. If the results from the evaluation study prove beneficial, in-
person follow-up interviews for the national survey will be conducted 
using computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) methods whereby 
field representatives collect the data from respondents using laptop 
computers. Third, vaccination providers will be contacted through the 
use of a paper mail-out/mail-back process. Providers will submit 
information on vaccinations administered and the dates the vaccinations 
were administered for each child 19 through 35 months. Only providers 
of age-eligible children whose parent or guardian participated in the 
telephone or paper follow-up survey and who gave consent to follow-up 
with the provider will be contacted. The provider information on the 
type of vaccine, the number of vaccinations, and the dates of 
vaccination will be used to estimate vaccination coverage levels; the 
information obtained from the parent or guardian will be used to 
evaluate the completeness of the provider-reported information.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: None.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Individuals/households; business or other for-
profit organizations (Health Care Providers).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,200 children in 1,185 
households; 1,510 providers.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 28 minutes, 2 seconds (household 
component); 25 minutes, 2 seconds (provider verification component).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 564 hours (household 
component), 634 hours (provider verification component).
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: All information collected about individuals or 
households is confidential by law Title 13, United States Code, Section 
9. Legal authorization to conduct the survey is granted by Title 13, 
United States Code, Section 8 and by the Public Health Service Act, 
Title 42, United States Code, Sections 306 & 2102(a)(7).

IV. Request for Comments

    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 
(including hours and cost) 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.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: October 1, 2008.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
 [FR Doc. E8-23559 Filed 10-6-08; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-07-P