Attachment 4 Advance Letter to Respondents

Attachment 4:

Advance letter to respondents

FROM THE DIRECTOR

NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH STATISTICS

In the next few weeks, your household will be called to take part in an important study led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This study provides important information on the vaccinations our country’s young children have received.

Although childhood immunization rates are at an all-time high of 80%, many children still do not have all of their shots. In response, the Department of Health and Human Services wants to improve immunization services while lowering the cost of vaccines. Local, state, and federal health officials need the results of this study to help achieve those goals.

The results of this study also help local, state, and federal health officials understand how to improve health care services for all children. Therefore, some households may be asked questions about the types of health services their children need or use.

You may call the study’s toll-free telephone number (1-866-999-3340) if you would like to take part in the study now. You can also call this number to learn more about the study’s background and what you will be asked. Please also visit the study’s web site for more information: http://www.cdc.gov/nis. If you have a child between 18 and 35 months of age, please take a moment to find his or her immunization records to help you answer our questions.

We need your help to make this study a success. Although participation is completely voluntary and there is no penalty for not answering any question, we hope you will agree to participate. Your answers will help improve the nation’s health now and in the years ahead.

Your telephone number was picked at random using scientific methods, and we found your address through commercial listings. When the interviewer calls, you will be asked a few questions to see if your household is eligible for this study.

This study is authorized by the Public Health Service Act. It and other federal laws protect your family’s information and keep it strictly confidential. The information you report in this survey will be used for research purposes only.

If you would like to learn more about your rights as a respondent, please call the office of the Research Ethics Review Board at the National Center for Health Statistics, toll-free, at 1-800-223-8118. Please leave a brief message with your name and phone number. Say that you are calling about Protocol #2000-17. Your call will be returned as soon as possible.

We appreciate your taking the time to talk to us. Thank you for your assistance.

Sincerely,

Edward J. Sondik, Ph.D.

Director, National Center for Health Statistics

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

I f you prefer to contact us using a TTY, please call the AT&T Relay Service at 1-800-855-2880 and request that 1-866-999-3340 be called.

Current Advance Letter (side 2)

National Immunization Survey

Frequently Asked Questions

How will this survey benefit others?

The data collected from the National Immunization Survey provides valuable information that helps health officials better protect children from preventable diseases in your area and across the United States.

Does this study apply to me?

The National Immunization Survey is interested in talking with all households. We need your information to get a complete picture of your area’s immunization rates. It will take a few minutes or less to determine if you are eligible for the study.

How will you protect my privacy?

We are bound by law to maintain strict confidentiality standards. Your private information and your child's private information will never be associated with any results.

If you would like more information about the confidentiality of the research, the federal laws that ensure the protection of your information have been described in detail at www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/policy/confiden.htm.

How do I know this is a legitimate survey?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is conducting this survey with the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago (NORC) as its authorized contractor. You may call NORC to verify that this is a legitimate survey. The toll-free number is 1-866-999-3340.

What information is available about immunizations and about places that provide them?

You may call the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Information Contact Center toll-free at 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) for more information about vaccinations or the phone number of a doctor or clinic near you.