REQUEST FOR CLEARANCE FOR Focus Audience analysis for Environmental Health Issues
Larry Furphy
Project
Officer
Deputy Associate Director of Communications
Centers
for Disease Control and prevention
National Center for environmental Health
Phone: 770-488-0618
Fax: 770-488-3377
Email: lrf2@cdc.gov
May 14, 2009
A. JUSTIFICATION 4
A.1 Circumstances that Make the Collection of Information Necessary 4
A.2 Purpose and Use of the Information 5
A.3 Use of Improved Technology and Burden Reduction 6
A.4 Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information 6
A.5 Impact of Small Business and Other Small Entities 6
A.6 Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequently 7
A.7 Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5 7
A.8 Comments in Response to the Federal Register Notice and Efforts to Consult Outside the Agency 7
A.9 Explanation of Any Payment or Gift to Respondents 8
A.10 Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents 8
A.11 Justification for Sensitive Questions 9
A.12 Estimates of Hour Burden Including Annualized Hourly Costs 9
A.13 Estimates of Other Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents or
Recordkeepers 10
A.14 Annualized Cost to the Federal Government 10
A.15 Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments 10
A.16 Plans for Tabulation and Publication and Project Time Schedule 10
A.17 Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date Is Inappropriate……………..........10
A.18 Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submission 10
B. COLLECTION OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS 11
B.1 Respondent Universe and Sampling Methods 11
B.2 Procedures for the Collection of Information 11
B.3 Methods to Maximize Response Rates and Address Non-Response 11
B.4 Test of Procedures or Methods to be Undertaken 11
B.5 Individuals Consulted on Statistical Aspects and Individuals
Collecting and/or Analyzing Data 12
REFERENCES 13
LIST OF TABLES
A.12A Estimate of Respondent Hour Burden 9
A.12.B Annualized Cost to Respondents 9
A.16-1 Project Time Schedule 10
ATTACHMENTS
1. Legal Authority
2. 60-Day Federal Register Notice
3. Focus Group Screening Instrument
4. Focus Group Discussion Guide
5. Informed Consent
6. Westat IRB Memo
7. Privacy Act Checklist…………...……………………………………………………………….
A. JUSTIFICATION
A.1 Circumstances That Make the Collection of Information Necessary
This Information Collection Request (ICR) is for a new data collection entitled Audience Analysis for Environmental Health Issues.
Background
Climatic events are expected to have significant impact on human health, including injuries and fatalities related to severe weather events and heat waves, infectious diseases related to changes in vector biology, water and food contamination, and respiratory illness due to increased allergen production (Haines et al, 2006; Patz and Olson, 2006, ICPCC, 2007; Frumkin, et al., 2008). Despite these potentially devastating public health consequences, few in the general public connect climate change with health effects. In general, the majority of American associate climate change with nonhuman impacts and environmental problems rather health effects. Moreover, they are more likely to be concerned about climate change impacts on plant and animal extinctions rather on human health (e.g., heat waves, water shortages, floods) (Bord et al, 2000; CBS News/NY Times, 2007; Leiserowitz, 2007; Nisbet & Myers, 2007). Thus, it is not surprising that few in the general public are well prepared to deal with climate change health effects.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages a broad range health protective behaviors including, preparing for natural disasters, making the home safer and healthier and taking steps toward a healthy lifestyle. As part of CDC’s overall mission to keep people and communities healthy, they are interested in developing communication materials to increase awareness, knowledge and preparation for climatic change effects on health with segments of the general public. The target audience for these materials will be members of the public that are currently engaging in behaviors to reduce climate change effects. This audience group is likely to be aware of climate change effects on the environment but may not have made the link between climate change and human health. Research indicates that a growing number of American households engage in behaviors that can be described as supportive of the environment (e.g., buying environmentally friendly products, using less energy at home, recycling at home, etc.) (Porter Novelli, 2008). To inform the development of these materials, focus groups will be conducted with members of the target audience in a local community to identify optimal messaging strategies, framing devices, opinion leaders and dissemination channels for communicating about climate change effects on human health.
CDC is authorized to collect this data under section 301 of the Public Health Service Act (42 USC 241) (See Attachment 1).
Privacy Impact Assessment
Overview of the Data Collection System
Three exploratory focus groups (9 adults per group) and three materials testing focus groups (9 adults per group) will be conducted with residents of a local California community. Findings from the exploratory groups will be used develop draft materials and messaging, which will be subsequently tested in the materials testing focus groups. Participants for all groups will be recruited by a professional focus group facility, using a screening instrument (“screener”) to identify qualifying participants through a brief telephone conversation (see Attachment 3).
Groups will be led by a trained moderator using a discussion guide and held in a professional facility that allows for observation by project staff.
Items of Information to be Collected
A copy of the exploratory focus group discussion guide can be found in Attachment 4. The following topics will be covered during the groups:
Awareness and understanding of climate change health effects
Perceived risk public health effects, nationally, state/regionally, and locally
Perceived importance of various health effects (e.g., respiratory illness, food and water contamination, heat strokes, infectious diseases, etc.)
Opinion leaders (general, lay) and channels (interpersonal, mass, digital) for disseminating information on health effects
Personal experience with climate change
Personal level of engagement in the community
Motivators for engaging community on climate health effects
No personal identifiers will be linked to data or provided to CDC. However, information in identifiable form (IIF) will be used by the focus group facility to screen participants for the focus groups. The IIF includes respondent name and phone number. Participants will only provide their first name during the focus group discussions. The audio-tapes of the focus groups will be stored in a locked file cabinet, and accessible only to Westat project staff. The recording will be destroyed at the end of the study, which is currently July, 2010.
CDC is interested in developing communication materials to increase public’s awareness and knowledge of climatic changes effects on human health. The proposed qualitative research is designed to inform the development of these materials by identifying which health issues, framing devices, channels and opinion leaders would be most effective for activating and disseminating a public health frame message to the intended audiences.
Privacy Impact Assessment
Why the information is being collected
As noted earlier, this information is being collected to develop effective messages and materials to increase awareness, knowledge and preparation for climatic change effects on health. This information is not available from any other source.
Intended use of the information
The information gathered in this research will be used internally by CDC staff and its contractor Westat to develop materials and methods for communicating with intended audiences.
As noted in section A.1 above, no personal identifier information collected will be transmitted to CDC.
A.3 Use of Improved Technology and Burden Reduction
A number of steps have been planned to ensure the least burden possible is shouldered by the public. These steps include:
Recruitment screeners have been designed for recruiters to quickly identify qualifying participants through a brief telephone conversation.
(2) All information from participants will be provided orally.
(3) Moderator’s guides have been developed specifically to ensure that the discussion is limited to no more than 2 hours, so that the questions are well-organized and flow well together, and are easy to understand and answer.
(4) Participants are chosen from lists of individuals who have expressed an interest in being in a focus group. Focus groups are common practices among private and public sector organizations, and many individuals look forward to learning about new products and/or ideas. It is a familiar process to them, and often, they comment that it’s easier than filling out lengthy forms or being stopped for a mall intercept.
A.4 Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information
CDC has made a significant effort to avoid duplication by conducting a literature review, interviews with experts, data base searches, and participation in workshops and conferences. The proposed data collection is unique and does not duplicate any past, current, or planned information collection by other federal government agencies.
A.5 Impact of Small Business and Other Small Entities
No small entities will be involved in this survey. All respondents will be individuals who participate voluntarily.
This is a one time data collection effort, which is essential to CDC’s ability to develop materials that increase the public’s awareness and preparedness for the health effects associated with climate change. There are no legal obstacles to reduce the burden.
A.7 Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5
This data collection request fully complies with Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5. No special circumstances exist outside the guidelines.
A.8 Comments in Response to Federal Register Notice and Efforts to Consult Outside Agency
A notice of this proposed project was published in the Federal Register, Volume 74, Number 5, on January 8, 2009, page 812, as required by 5 CFR 1320.8(d) (see Attachment 2). One public response was received. No changes were made to the proposed project based on this response, as the public comment did not relate to the utility and scope as proposed.
The following persons have been consulted on this research since June 2007:
Matthew C. Nisbet,
Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Communications
American
university
Phone: 202.885.2104
Email: nisbetmc@gmail.com
Edward Maibach, MPH, PhD
Professor, Department of Communication and Director,
Center for Climate Change Communication
George Mason University
Phone: 703.993.1587
Email: emaibach@gmu.edu
Simani M. Price, Ph.D.
Senior Study Director
Westat
Phone: 301-610-5536
Email:
simaniprice@westat.com
Mr. Jerry McCann,
Vice President, Carton Donofrio Partners
Phone: 410-223-3500
Email: jmccann@cartondonofrio.com
A.9 Explanation of Any Payment or Gift to Respondents
All respondents in the focus groups will receive modest reimbursement for their participation in focus groups indicates that, without providing minimal levels of monetary compensation, insufficient numbers of participants will attend and results will not be useful (Kreuger, 1994). The amount of compensation will be $75 per respondent and will be provided directly to participants by the focus group facilities.
A.10 Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents
This submission has been reviewed and determined that the Privacy Act does not apply. Westat will hire a professional focus group facility to screen and schedule respondents. The only IIF that will be obtained are the participants’ name and phone numbers for setting up interview appointments, which will be maintained at the focus group facility in its proprietary files. These personal identifiers will not be linked to data. During the focus groups, only first names will be used. Focus groups will be audio-taped and transcribed for use by the Westat research team in developing a report. The audio-tapes will be stored in a locked file cabinet, accessible only to project staff. The recording will be destroyed at the end of the study, which is currently July, 2010.
Westat’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) reviewed the study instruments and granted expedited approval for the study due to minimal risk (see Attachment 5). It has been determined that CDC/ATSDR IRB approval is not required. CDC/ATSDR is not engaged in the research.
Privacy Impact Assessment Information
10-A. The Privacy Act does not apply.
10-B. Focus groups will be audio-taped and transcribed for use by the research team in developing a report. Transcripts of focus groups will only record participants first name. The audio-tapes will be secured in a locked file cabinet, accessible only to project staff. The recording will be destroyed at the end of the study, which is currently July, 2010. Respondents will be informed of study data collection procedures and securing of data in the consent form (see Attachment 6).
10-C. Respondents will provide their consent to participate in the study by reading and signing the consent form. Respondents will be informed that findings from this research will be used to develop communication materials to increase the public’s awareness, knowledge and preparation for climate change health effects in the consent form (see Attachment 6).
10-D. Respondents will be informed that participation in the study is purely voluntary and no penalties will occur if they wish not to respond to the information collection as a whole or to any specific questions in the consent form. All information provided by respondents will be treated in a secure manner and will not be disclosed unless otherwise compelled by law. Data security procedures will be described to respondents in the informed consent form (See attachment 6).
A11. Justification for Sensitive Questions
The proposed research is voluntary, and no persons are required to participate. This voluntary aspect of the focus group is clearly stated in the informed consent and will be stressed by the moderator during the focus groups. There are no items considered to be sensitive for respondents.
A.12 Estimates of Hour Burden Including Annualized Hourly Costs
Estimated response burden hours are shown in Table A12A. The estimated times for recruitment screener are based on past experience with similar studies. The focus groups will last no longer than 2 hours. The hourly wage rate is based on the most recent National Compensation Survey for hourly rates for all occupations, published on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website which is $18.62. We have revised slightly and round this number to $19.00. The annualized cost burden is shown in Table A12B.
Table A.12A Estimates of Hour Burden
Respondents |
Number of Respondents |
Average number of responses per respondent |
Average burden hours per response |
Total burden hours requested |
Recruitment screener |
108 |
1 |
5/60 |
9 |
Exploratory Focus Groups |
27 |
1 |
2 |
54 |
Materials Testing Focus Groups |
27 |
1 |
2 |
54 |
Total |
162 |
--------- |
-------- |
117 |
Table A.12B Annualized cost to respondents
Type of Respondents |
Total Burden Hours |
Hourly Wage Rate |
Total Respondent Costs |
Recruitment screener |
9 |
$19.00 |
$171.00 |
Exploratory Focus Groups |
54 |
$19.00 |
$1,026.00 |
Materials Testing Focus Groups |
54 |
$19.00 |
$1,026.00 |
Total |
117 |
|
$2,223.00 |
A.13 Estimates of Other Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents or Record keepers
There are no other costs to respondents beyond those presented in section A.12. There are no operating, maintenance, or capital costs associated with the collection.
A.14 Annualized Cost to the Federal Government
The total annual cost to the Federal Government will not exceed $77,400. This estimate is based on three exploratory focus group, at $10,000 each ($30,000 total) and three concept testing focus groups, at $15,000 each ($45,000 total), and cost of the Federal Project Monitor ($2,400). These figures include the costs of study design, materials development, facility rental, participant incentives, data collection, analysis, and report writing. Federal employees will involved in oversight and/or analysis.
A.15 Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments
This is a new request for approval of a new data collection.
Recruitment for the focus groups will begin within one week of OMB approval and the entire study will be completed within 7 months. This includes conducting six focus groups, analysis and report writing. The table below outlines the project time schedule, by activity:
Table A-16. Project Time Schedule
Activity |
Time Schedule |
|
|
Recruit participant for exploratory focus groups |
1-3 weeks days after OMB approval |
Conduct three exploratory focus groups |
4–8 weeks after OMB approval |
Prepare topline report |
9-11 weeks after OMB approval |
Develop messaging and draft materials |
12-16 weeks after OMB approval |
Finalize protocols for materials testing |
16-18 weeks after OMB approval |
Recruit participants for materials testing focus groups |
18-20 weeks after OMB approval |
Conduct three materials testing focus groups |
20-24 weeks after OMB approval |
Prepare final report for focus group study |
24-28 weeks after OMB approval |
A.17 Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date is Inappropriate
Not applicable. The OMB expiration date will be displayed.
A.18 Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submission
There are no exceptions to the certification.
B. COLLECTION OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS
This is a qualitative data collection. Statistical methods will not be used.
B.1 Respondent Universe and Sampling Methods
Participants for the focus groups will be residents of Santa Rosa, California, who exhibit at least moderate level of concern with climate change effects, and recent behavioral changes to reduce green house gas emissions (e.g., install energy efficient devices, drive less etc.). In addition, a small number of participants recruited for the focus groups will also be civically active (e.g., member of a local community organization, written to a congressman, etc.). To ensure nine participants are in each of the six focus groups (3 exploratory, 3 materials testing), 12 participants will be recruited per group. Participants will be recruited using standard focus group recruitment methods, by calling their household and administering a screening questionnaire to pre-qualify them (see Attachment 3). Most will come from an existing database (or list) of potential participants, owned and maintained by each focus group facility. All participants will be provided an incentive of $75 for their participation in the research.
After arriving at the focus group facility, the respondents will be given information on the study and a consent form to sign (See Attachment 6). Then the respondents in each group will be gathered in a room with a trained moderator and a one-way mirror, behind which will sit CDC and Westat staff. The moderator will explain the study, inform the group of taping and observation, and lead a discussion using a guide. Each focus group will last approximately 2 hours. The focus group discussion guide is provided in Attachment 4. Responses will be collected by audiotape and videotape, and observers will take notes. After the group, the tapes will be transcribed for qualitative analysis.
B.3 Methods to Maximize Response Rates and Address Non-Response
This is not applicable. A convenience sample need not be representative to indicate a need for further message refinement or other attitudinal information.
B.4 Test of Procedures or Methods to be Undertaken
This is qualitative data collection. Statistical methods will not be used. Standard focus group discussion procedures and analysis of findings will be used.
B.5 Individuals Consulted on Statistical Aspects and Individuals Collecting and/or Analyzing Data
The persons who designed the data collection and who will analyze the data are:
Simani M. Price, Ph.D.
Senior Study Director
Westat
Phone: 301-610-5536
Email: simaniprice@westat.com
Mary Dingwall
Senior Study Director
Westat
Phone: (301) 738-3583
Email: Marydingwall@westat.com
Matthew C. Nisbet,
Ph.D.
Assistant professor
Department of Communications
American
university
Phone: 202.885.2104
Email: nisbetmc@gmail.com
Mr. Jerry McCann,
Vice President
Carton Donofrio Partners
Phone: 410-223-3500
Email: jmccann@cartondonofrio.com
Bord, R. J., R. E. O' Connor, and A. Fisher. (2000). In what sense does the public need to understand global climate change? Public Understanding of Science 9205-18.
CBS News/NY Times. Americans' views on the environment. (2007). New York, NY, NY Times.
Epstein PR. Climate change and human health. New Eng J Med 2005;353:1433–36.
Frumkin H, Hess J, Luber G, Malilay J, McGeehin M (2008) Climate change: The public health response. Am J Public Health 98: 435–45.
Haines A, Kovats RS, Campbell-Lendrum D, Corvalan C. (2006). Climate change and human health: impacts, vulnerability and public health. Public Health;120:585–96.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Climate change 2007: Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Krueger, R.A., (1994). Focus groups: A practical guide for applied Research, (2nd ed.) Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Leiserowitz A. Communicating the risks of global warming: American risk perceptions, affective images and interpretive communities. In: Moser S, Dilling L, eds. Creating a climate for change: communicating climate change and facilitating social change. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007:44–63.
Nisbet, M. C. and T. Myers. (2007) The Polls-Trends: Twenty Years of Public Opinion about Global Warming. Public Opinion Quarterly Advance Access published online on August 23, 2007 71444-
Patz JA, Olson SH. (2006). Climate change and health: global to local influences on disease risk. Ann Trop Med Parasitol; 100:535– 49.
Porter Novelli Profile: Greenfluencers. (2008). Porter Novelli; New York, New York.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | DRAFT |
| File Modified | 2009-05-14 |
| File Created | 2009-03-26 |