Att 12 - Public Comment

Attachment 12 – Public Comment

From: Berkowitz, Judy M [mailto:BERKOWITZJ@battelle.org]
Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2011 5:33 PM
To: Burroughs, Kennya L. (CDC/OD/OADS) (CTR)
Subject: RE: Information request

Thank you very much for providing this information.  I find that the HMTS system would be extremely helpful in helping CDC obtain appropriate feedback on their health messages from a variety of audiences.  I am pleased to see this package for renewal.

I am concerned that the methods proposed are unnecessarily restrictive to “traditional” modes of data collection.  For example, the online focus groups described transfer the traditional model of face-to-face interaction to an online environment.  By doing so, this limits CDC to only synchronous focus groups – where all people are in the same virtual room at the same limited amount of time.   Asynchronous methods, including online bulletin board focus groups, allow for longer interactions, deeper conversations among  a group of people where the participants may have LOTS to say and care deeply about the health issue.  The additional time, done at their convenience where a moderator can still probe and ask follow up questions, would benefit CDC greatly.  I would recommend expanding the conceptualization of these online methods to capture the full range of what is available in market research.  By doing so, this will enable CDC to use techniques that access more people in more economical ways and lead to higher quality input from audience members.

Several of the demographic questions are asked in ways that limits CDC’s ability to properly segment the audience.  I would recommend changing several of the questions (e.g., Age) to allow for more flexibility in meeting the segmentation criteria across projects.  Also, many of the question stems do not adequately address environmental health concerns that CDC/ATSDR address.  The questions are framed to allow you to insert a health condition (e.g., diabetes) – while environmental contaminants (e.g., naturally occurring asbestos) might not fit easily into the question stem. 

I see great value in the HMTS and the type of work it supports and hope that OMB will expand the types of data collection methods that are supported under this, allow for more flexibility in meeting segmentation criteria, and in wording question stems to allow more health issues to be covered under this clearance mechanism.

Judy

Judy Berkowitz, PhD

Senior Research Scientist

Battelle CPHRE Atlanta

2987 Clairmont Road NE, Suite 450

Atlanta, GA 30329

Email:  berkowitzj@battelle.org

Phone: 404-460-1449

Fax:  404-460-1441; 614-458-0520

This message is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed, and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and/or otherwise exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient or the employee or agent responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, any disclosure, dissemination, distribution, copying or other use of this communication or its substance is prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please return to the sender and delete from your computer system.

From: Burroughs, Kennya L. (CDC/OD/OADS) (CTR) [mailto:vhr4@cdc.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2011 2:30 PM
To: Berkowitz, Judy M
Subject: RE: Information request

From: Berkowitz, Judy M [mailto:BERKOWITZJ@battelle.org]
Sent: Friday, July 29, 2011 2:25 PM
To: OMB-Comments (CDC)
Subject: Information request

I’m interested in reviewing the Statement draft and any instruments or instrument banks for:

Health Message Testing System, (0920-0572, exp. 11/30/2011)— Revision—Office of the Associate Director for Communication, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Thank you.

Judy

Judy Berkowitz, PhD

Senior Research Scientist

Battelle CPHRE Atlanta

2987 Clairmont Road NE, Suite 450

Atlanta, GA 30329

Email:  berkowitzj@battelle.org

Phone: 404-460-1449

Fax:  404-460-1441; 614-458-0520

This message is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed, and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and/or otherwise exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient or the employee or agent responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, any disclosure, dissemination, distribution, copying or other use of this communication or its substance is prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please return to the sender and delete from your computer system.