[Federal Register: June 28, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 125)]
[Notices]               
[Page 43603-43604]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28jn02-68]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-02-65]

 
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. Send comments to Anne O'Connor, CDC 
Assistant Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D24, 
Atlanta, GA 30333. Written comments should be received within 60 days 
of this notice.
    Proposed Project: Health and Safety Outcomes Related to Work 
Schedules in Nurses--NEW--The National Institute for Occupational 
Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(CDC). The mission of the National Institute for Occupational Safety 
and Health is to promote safety and health at work for all people 
through research and prevention.
    In the United States, approximately 1.1 million registered nurses 
work shift schedules to provide essential nursing services that are 
required around the clock. A recent U.S. government report indicates 
that the average nurse works more than 40 hours per week. Both shift 
work and overtime have been independently associated with increased 
health and safety risks. Little is known about the combined influence 
of shift work and overtime. In addition, most previous shift work 
studies of nurses have used young participants. However, the age of the 
average working U.S. registered nurse is now 43.3 years and has been 
increasing over the past 20 years. This aging workforce will be more 
vulnerable to the adverse health and safety risks associated with shift 
work and overtime. This study will examine the combined influence of 
shift work and overtime on health and safety in the current registered 
nurse workforce. The study will provide data for work schedule design 
recommendations. Potential secondary benefits to society will be 
improved patient outcomes.
    Specific Aim 1. Examine if certain characteristics of shift work 
schedules,

[[Page 43604]]

such as shift length (ie. 12-hour, 8-hour shifts), night work, and 
rotating work schedules are associated with increased health and safety 
risks.
    Specific Aim 2. Examine how shift work and overtime interact to 
influence health and safety risks.
    Specific Aim 3. Examine if disturbances of sleep, family life, and 
social life mediate effects of work schedules on health and safety.
    The study is based on the theoretical model by Barton et al. (1995) 
who propose that shift work exerts a negative effect on health and 
safety outcomes by disturbing sleep, family life, and social life. The 
study will use a cross-sectional design to survey 1,000 registered 
nurses who will be randomly selected from 10 large hospitals. 
Participants will be asked to complete a survey, complete a 7-day 
sleep/activity diary, provide one set of blood pressure readings, and 
provide a copy of their work schedule from their hospital records for 
the previous 3-month period. The survey includes items for personal 
characteristics such as age and weight; health history; lifestyle 
factors such as smoking and alcohol use; sleep characteristics and 
problems; factors at work and other responsibilities such as child 
care; work schedule factors; musculoskeletal discomfort; 
gastrointestinal and cardiovascular symptoms; mood; automobile crashes 
and near misses; needlestick injuries; and job satisfaction.
    The study will compute a list of work characteristics based on the 
actual work start and end times. Statistical modeling will be used to 
examine characteristics of work schedules associated with increased 
risk while controlling for demographic, health history, lifestyle, and 
work-related risk factors. A base model will be developed with 
significant control variables for each outcome. Work schedule variables 
will then be added to the base model to test for significant 
relationships while controlling for co-variates. There are no costs to 
respondents.

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                                                                      No. of       Avg. burden/
                    Form name                         No. of        responses/     response (in    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent        hours)        (in hours)
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Survey..........................................            1000               1           30/60             500
7-day sleep/activity diary......................            1000              *7            5/60             583
                                                                                                 ---------------
      Total.....................................  ..............  ..............  ..............           1,083
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*1 response per day  x  7 days = 7.


    Dated: June 21, 2002.
Nancy E. Cheal,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 02-16302 Filed 6-27-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P