Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. To request more information on the proposed projects or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and instruments, call the CDC Reports Clearance Officer on (404) 498-1210.

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 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. CDC is requesting an emergency clearance from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to collect data under the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002. Send comments to Anne O'Connor, CDC Assistant Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS D-24, Atlanta, GA 30333. Written comments should be received within 14 days of this notice. OMB is expected to act on the request of CDC within 21 days of publication of this notice.

Proposed Project: Minimum Data Elements (MDE) and System for Technical Assistance Reporting (STAR) for the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP)—New—The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The NBCCEDP was established in response to the Congressional Breast and Cervical Cancer Mortality Prevention Act of 1990 to provide early detection, breast and cervical cancer screening services for under-served women. The CDC proposes to aggregate breast and cervical cancer screening, diagnostic and treatment data from NBCCEDP grantees at the state, territory and tribal level. These aggregated data will include demographic information about women served through funded programs. The proposed data collection will also include infrastructure data about grantee management, public education and outreach, professional education, and service delivery.

Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death among American women. The American Cancer Society estimates that 203,500 new cases will be diagnosed among women in 2002, and 39,600 women will die of this disease. Mammography is extremely valuable as an early detection tool because it can detect breast cancer well before the woman can feel the lump, when it is still in an early and more treatable stage. Women older than age 40 that receive annual mammography screening reduce their probability of breast cancer mortality and increase their treatment options.

Although early detection efforts have greatly decreased the incidence of invasive cervical cancer during the last four decades, an estimated 13,000 new cases will be diagnosed in 2002 and 4,100 women will die of this disease. Papanicolaou (Pap) tests effectively detect precancerous lesions in addition to invasive cervical cancer. The detection and treatment of precancerous lesions can prevent nearly all cervical cancer-related deaths.

Because breast and cervical cancer screening, diagnostic and treatment data are already collected and aggregated at the state, territory and tribal level, the additional burden on the grantees will be small. Implementation of this program will require grantees to report a minimum data set electronically to the CDC on a semi-annual basis. The program will require grantees to report infrastructure data to the CDC annually using a web-based system. Information collected will be used to obtain more complete breast and cervical cancer data, promote public education of cancer incidence and risk, improve the availability of screening and diagnostic services for under-served women, ensure the quality of services provided to women, and develop outreach strategies for women that are never or rarely screened for breast and cervical cancer. There are no costs to respondents.