Request for Approval (Focus Group)

Health Message Testing System Expedited Review Form
1. Title of Study: (Please append screener and questionnaire)

CDC Enhanced Message Development and Testing to Prevent Excessive Alcohol Consumption Study –
Creative Concept Testing Focus Groups
2. Study Population: (Discuss study population and explain how they will be selected/recruited.)

General inclusion/exclusion requirements built into the screening protocol will ensure that to qualify as an
excessive drinker participants have met CDC's criteria for heavy drinking or binge drinking

Respondent characteristics:
Number of subject: 96

Number of males:

48

Age range: 21-64

Number of females: 48

Racial/ethnic composition: All races and ethnicities are included
Special group status: (e.g., risk group, health care providers)
Type of group(s): The study population for this effort is U.S. excessive drinkers ages
21–64.
Geographic location(s): All of the United States

3. Incentives: (State what incentive will be offered and justify proposed incentives to be used in study.)

There are no benefits to participation for partaking in the focus groups. Focus group participants will
receive a $75 token of appreciation for their time and effort. This $75 incentive encourages participation in
a manner that reduces the likelihood of no-shows and increased recruiting efforts and costs.

4. Study method: (Please check one below)
Central location intercept interview:
Online Interview:
Telephone interview:
Other (describe):

Focus group:
Individual in-depth interview (cognitive interview):

(CATI used: yes or no): No

5. Purpose of the overall communication effort into which this health message(s) will fit:
(Please provide 2-3 sentences below.)

This study is aimed at developing evidence-based and audience-centered messages to reduce excessive
alcohol consumption on behalf of CDC with U.S. adult excessive drinkers ages 21–64 who are not
alcohol-dependent. The creative concept testing focus groups will test messages designed for the audience
based on results from the previous phase of research and the effectives of COVID-19 on drinking.

6. Category of time sensitivity: (Please check one below)
Health emergency:
Time-limited audience access:
Press coverage correction:
Time-limited congressional/administrative mandate:
Trend Tracking
Ineffective existing materials due to historical event/social trends:
7. Describe nature of time sensitivity: (Please provide 2-3 sentences below.)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Alcohol Program is acutely aware that the
general public does not believe excessive drinking is a serious public health issue, especially during
COVID-19. The CDC is pioneering interventions that challenge the current cultural narrative around
excessive drinking- that its acceptability is dependent on personal, social, and situational factors.

8. Number of burden hours requested: 180

BURDEN HOURS
No. of
Participation
Respondents Time

Category of Respondent

Burden

All Adults [Screener - (5 min)]

432

5 min

36 hrs

Excessive Drinking Adults [Focus Group - (90 min)]

96

90 min

144

10,800 min

180 hrs

Totals
9. Are you using questions from the approved question bank?

Yes

If yes, please list the item number(s) for questions used from the question bank separated by a comma.
(e.g., 1a, 3c, 130d)
4a, 6a, 10a, 12a, 13a, 16a

*** Items below to be completed by Office of Associate Director for Communication (OADC)***
1. Number of burden hours remaining in current year's allocation: 3255
2. OADC confirmation of time-sensitivity:
Yes:
No:

Dawn B. Griffin
Project Officer
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