FR 2021-01915

Overview

Title

Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

Agencies

ELI5 AI

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) wants to make a program better by collecting some new health information from people, like checking their sugar levels, and they're asking for permission to do this. They promise it's all optional and nobody's names will be used.

Summary AI

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has submitted a request to the Office of Management and Budget for approval to collect information under the CDC Diabetes Prevention Recognition Program (DPRP). This follows a previous notice seeking public comments, to which CDC responded with significant feedback. The proposed changes include updates to data collection methods and requirements, such as collecting optional Hemoglobin A1C levels and combining weight and physical activity metrics. The goal is to improve the program's effectiveness while reducing administrative burdens. The CDC is seeking approval for the next three years and emphasizes that participation is voluntary and data is collected in a non-identified way.

Type: Notice
Citation: 86 FR 7386
Document #: 2021-01915
Date:
Volume: 86
Pages: 7386-7387

AnalysisAI

The document titled "Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review" details a proposal by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to update their data collection methods under the Diabetes Prevention Recognition Program (DPRP). This program aims to recognize organizations offering diabetes prevention initiatives according to established standards. The CDC has submitted this proposal to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a three-year approval to streamline and improve their current procedures.

General Summary of the Document

The CDC has introduced various changes as part of its effort to enhance the DPRP. These changes include the optional collection of new data elements such as Hemoglobin A1C levels and a revised way of measuring physical activity and weight data. Furthermore, the CDC has proposed revisions in the types of questions asked during the application and evaluation process. This document also notes the CDC's response to a previous request for public comments and outlines a 30-day window for additional feedback from the public and affected agencies.

Significant Issues or Concerns

Several issues arise from this document. Firstly, the document does not detail the cost implications of adopting these new data elements. It is unclear how implementing additional data collection might financially impact organizations, especially those that might not already collect the proposed information.

The language used to describe potential technological collection techniques is rather vague. More information on specific technologies would help organizations understand how to adapt to the new requirements effectively.

Another concern is the lack of a clear rationale for introducing new data elements, such as Hemoglobin A1C levels and participant gender. This raises questions about the necessity and expected benefit of these changes.

Furthermore, the document does not mention how the feedback received from public comments has influenced the current proposal, potentially leading to concerns about transparency.

Potential Broader Impact on the Public

For the general public, especially individuals at risk of diabetes or those benefiting from prevention programs, these updates could improve the effectiveness of programs designed to prevent diabetes. More comprehensive data could potentially lead to better health outcomes if the data is used to fine-tune prevention strategies.

Impact on Specific Stakeholders

For organizations participating in the DPRP, these proposed changes could be seen as both beneficial and burdensome. Positive effects include potential improvements in program recognition and alignment with best practices in data collection for better health outcomes. However, there is also a downside as organizations might face indirect costs associated with adapting to new data collection requirements, particularly if they do not already track the proposed data elements.

Participation is noted as voluntary, and the data collected is de-identified, which is positive in terms of privacy. However, it assumes all organizations are currently equipped to collect the necessary data, which may not always hold true. This assumption could create challenges for organizations that need to update their systems to comply with the new requirements.

Overall, the CDC's proposal seeks to refine and improve the delivery of diabetes prevention programs. While the intent of enhancing data collection seems positive, clarifications on costs, technological implementations, and the necessity for new data elements would benefit the proposal, aiding stakeholders in understanding and executing the required changes efficiently.

Issues

  • • The document does not provide detailed information on the cost implications of implementing the changes, particularly the collection of new data elements.

  • • The language regarding electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques is somewhat vague and could benefit from clarification on what specific technologies might be employed.

  • • The rationale for introducing new data elements like the Hemoglobin A1C levels and participant's gender is not explicitly stated, which might be important for transparency and understanding the necessity of these changes.

  • • There is no mention of how feedback from public comments has been incorporated into the current proposal, which could create an impression of non-transparency.

  • • While it is mentioned that there are no costs to respondents other than time, there is not enough clarification on how this estimate was calculated and whether organizations might face indirect costs.

  • • The document assumes that all organizations already routinely collect the requested information, but there is no data or survey results presented to support this assumption.

  • • The overall complexity of steps that organizations need to follow for data submission could be perceived as a potential burden if not streamlined effectively, especially for new participants.

Statistics

Size

Pages: 2
Words: 1,333
Sentences: 35
Entities: 116

Language

Nouns: 469
Verbs: 124
Adjectives: 69
Adverbs: 11
Numbers: 62

Complexity

Average Token Length:
4.98
Average Sentence Length:
38.09
Token Entropy:
5.38
Readability (ARI):
24.69

Reading Time

about 5 minutes