OMB Memo Nonsubstantive Change Physician Survey on diet PA wt 7-08

MEMORANDUM

TO: Office of Management and Budget

FROM: Ashley Wilder Smith, Task Order Monitor

DATE: August 7, 2008

RE: Nonsubstantive Change Request for: Physician Survey of Practices on Diet, Physical Activity, and Weight Control

OMB #0925-0583

This memo describes a request for a minor change to the survey procedures of the Physician Survey of Practices on Diet, Physical Activity, and Weight Control. OMB approval was received on December 13, 2007 (OMB #0925-0583). None of the changes that are being requested are substantive or contain new elements. NCI is therefore requesting that these changes be considered under the Nonsubstantive Change Request procedure.

As outlined in Supporting Statement B of the OMB package submitted for the Physician Survey of Practices on Diet, Physical Activity, and Weight Control, the Survey Procedures included three mailings, with refusal conversion follow-up via telephone if the overall response rate was below 70 percent. These procedures were included to help determine possible non-response bias. The current response rate is approximately 59% after three mailings.

When the OMB package was submitted, the sample frame (the American Medical Association Masterfile) only contained telephone and postal mailing addresses for contact information. However, they now offer email and fax numbers. In order to account for possible non-response bias, we are requesting approval to include email and fax contacts in our follow-up contacts. These additional modes may also be less intrusive and less burdensome than telephone calls, particularly because emails and FAXes are often preferred by the physicians as a means of contact.  All available modes (telephone, fax, and email) would be included in this final stage of data collection. If approved, the following language would be added to Supporting Statement:

Supporting Statement B, p. 8, Paragraph 3:

Follow up calls will be made after the third mailing only if the overall response rate is below 70 percent. Experienced refusal conversion interviewers will attempt to obtain data on the most critical questionnaire items over the telephone, email, and fax as needed.

Supporting Statement B, p. 8-9, Paragraph 6/1:

Experienced refusal conversion interviewers will attempt to obtain data on the most critical questionnaire items over the telephone, email, and fax as needed.