OMB Justification

United States

Department of

Agriculture

Center for

Nutrition Policy

& Promotion

3101 Park

Center Drive

Alexandria, VA

22302-1500

Memorandum

To: Julie Wise, OMB Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget

Through: Rachelle Ragland Greene, FNS Information Clearance Officer and Ruth Brown, OCIO Desk Officer

From: Robert Post, Deputy Director

USDA – Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion

Re: Under Approved Generic OMB Clearance No. 0584-0523

Request Approval to Perform Quantitative to Inform Public Communication about the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA)

_____________________________________________________________________

The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion of the USDA is requesting approval for formative research under Approved Generic OMB Clearance No. 0584-0523

The following information is provided for your review:

1. Title of Project: Formative Research to Inform Public Communication about the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA)

The research for Task 1 includes an online survey among consumers to test messages and graphic images pertaining to the DGA.

2. OMB Control Number: 0584-0523, expiration date 07/31/2012.

3. Public affected by this project: Individuals/Households. Respondent universe includes adult consumers and children ages 10-13. The samples are outlined as follows:

General adult population ages 18+	2,000
Low income adults (less than $30KHousehold Income (HHI))	750
Low income adults ($30K-$40K HHI)	250
Low literacy adults (less than high school education)	1,000
Pretest among adults	25
Children ages 10-13	500
Pretest among children 10-13	25
Parental consent for ages 10-13	525
Total Respondent:	5,075

4. Time needed per Response:

Online survey among adult consumers (general population, low-income and low-literacy adults, and pre-test): Based on the assumption that the average length of the survey will be .4175 hours per adult participant, the burden hours associated with 4,025 respondents is 1,680 hours (.4175 x 4,025 = 1,680 hours).

Responding to invitation to adults for web-based message testing survey: Based on the assumption that the average length of the invitation response process will be .05 hours per adult participant, the burden hours associated with 4,025 respondents is 201.25 hours (.05 x 4,025 = 201.25 hours).

Responding to invitation to children for web-based message testing survey: Based on the assumption that the average length of the invitation response process will be .05 hours per child, the burden hours associated with 525 respondents is 26.25 hours (.05 x 525 = 26.25 hours).

Online survey and pre-test among children 10-13: Based on the assumption that the average length of the survey will be .25 hours per child participant, the burden hours associated with 525 respondents is 131.25 hours (.25 x 525 = 131.25 hours).

Parental consent: Based on the assumption that the average length of the parental consent process will be .05 hours per parent, the burden hours associated with 525 respondents is 26.25 hours (.05 x 525 = 26.25 hours).

The total burden for this project is 2,065 burden hours.

Table 1. Respondent Burden Estimate
Respondent group	Estimated number of respondents	Minutes per respondent	Total respondent burden
Screening* for adults for web-based message testing	0	0	0
Responding to invitation to adults for web-based message testing survey	4,025	3	201.25 hours
Web-based message testing among adults, including pre-test	4,025	25	1,680 hours
Screening* for children for web-based message testing	0	0	0
Parental consent for children ages 10-13	525	3	26.25 hours
Responding to invitation to children for web-based message testing survey	525	3	26.25 hours
Web-based message testing among children ages 10-13, including pre-test	525	15	131.25 hours
Total	5,075	N/A	2,065 hours

*using existing web panel – eligible pool of participants is pre-identified from the database, with no screening necessary

5. Project Background, Objective, Methodology and Design, Data Analysis, and Outcome.

Background:

Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) is responsible for communicating to consumers and professionals about the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). An updated version of the DGA will be released in 2010. DGA-related nutrition concepts and messages will be communicated to consumers through MyPyramid and other nutrition education programs, tools and on-line resources. The proposed research is intended to inform CNPP communication efforts to raise consumer understanding and application of the DGA.

Objectives:

• Quantitatively test DGA messages and related graphic images among consumers on the clarity and effectiveness of messages, the effectiveness and appeal of creative designs, and other key factors.

• Validate near-final messages and materials among a statistically representative sample of U.S. consumers.

Methodology, Design and Data Analysis:

As a final step in our consumer research, we will conduct online quantitative testing of the “near-final” messages and creative elements for DGA 2010 to validate them among a sample of 4,025 adult consumers (including pre-test participants) and 525 children ages 10-13 (including pre-test participants).

Procedures for Information Collection:

The survey will be 100% online. Participants will be selected from a pre-existing online Non-Volunteer Access Panel, in which potential panel members are chosen via a statistically valid sampling method that cover 99% of the U.S. population. Sampled non-internet households are provided a laptop computer and free internet service. The Panel consists of a probability sample of about 50,000 U.S. residents, age 18 and older, including cell phone-only households. Children ages 10-13 are recruited from the households of Panel members, and their parents or legal guardians provide consent for their participation (see Attachment B).

The contractor has demographic information for all Panel members, and will use this pre-existing data to select participants for this study. This eliminates the need for screening participants. Panel members who meet study criteria will receive a standard email invitation to participate (see Attachment A). As Panel members, they will have already received a copy of the Privacy and Terms of Use Policy (see Attachment C), which outlines confidentiality, use of the data collected, voluntary participation, and the reassurance that there are no penalties for opting out of the survey.

Response Rate and Degree of Accuracy:

We anticipate a 75% response rate for this survey from among invited participants in the Panel.

Incentives for Participants and Burden:

The surveys we are proposing will not exceed 25 minutes, and participants will be offered a small incentive, approximately $3-$5 each. Children do not earn monetary incentives for any particular survey, but instead earn points that lead to various incentive choices once a specific point level is achieved. Steps are taken to ensure that panel members are not overburdened with survey requests. The primary sampling rule is to assign no more than one survey per week to members. This level of survey frequency helps to keep panelists engaged as part of the panel.

Statistical Weighting:

The Panel sample begins as an equal probability sample that is self-weighting with several enhancements incorporated to improve efficiency. Since any alteration in the selection process is a deviation from a pure equal probability sample design, statistical weighting adjustments are made to the data to offset known selection deviations. These adjustments are incorporated in the sample’s base weight. There are also several sources of survey error that are an inherent part of any survey process, such as non-coverage and non-response due to panel recruitment methods and to inevitable panel attrition. These sources of sampling and non-sampling error are addressed using a panel demographic post-stratification weight as an additional adjustment.

Confidentiality, Privacy and Opt-In Details:

Participation in research is voluntary at the time that respondents are asked to join the panel, at the time they are asked to participate in a survey, and at the time they answer any given question in a survey. Panelists are not coerced to participate in any research and are not removed from the panel as a result of failure to participate in any particular survey project or program of studies. Panelists have the option to ‘opt-out’ of the panel at any time by notifying the contractor. The contractor maintains a toll-free phone number and its own call-center panel management facility to receive requests for information and action from panelists.

Survey responses are confidential, and will not be shared with anyone outside this study, except as otherwise required by law. All personally identifying information will not be revealed without respondent approval. Surveys are self-administered and accessible any time of day for a designated period. Participants can complete a survey only once. Members may leave the panel at any time. All Panelists, when joining the panel, are given a copy of the Privacy and Term of Use Policy (see Attachment C). The privacy terms are also available electronically at all times to panelists via the Panel Member website.

For surveys conducted among children ages 10-13, the contractor obtains informed consent forms from parents or legal guardians (see Attachment B).

Test of procedures: For the consumer survey, the contractor will conduct a pre-test among 25 adult Panel participants and 25 child participants using the approved survey instrument. After a successful pre-test, the contractor will field the survey over approximately a two-week period among participants.

Consultant for Statistical Aspects of the Survey:

The contractor will perform all statistical analysis of the survey responses and provide banner tables as a summary of the research. The contractor project lead will be J. Michael Dennis, Ph.D., and he will be assisted by Joe Garrett:

J. Michael Dennis, Ph.D.

Senior Vice President, Government & Academic Research

Knowledge Networks, Inc.

1350 Willow Road, Suite 102

Menlo Park, California 94025-1516

(650) 289-2160

(650) 289-2001

J. Michael Dennis, the Senior Vice President for Government & Academic Research at KN, has completed human subjects training from the NIH, University of California (Irvine), and Stanford University.

Joe Garrett

Vice President, Government and Academic Research

Knowledge Networks, Inc.

12070 Rose Hall Drive

Clifton, VA 20124

Office: 703-830-0613   

Cell: 703-371-9327

Outcome:

Preliminary and final summary reports will be provided for all research components. A final summary report of the surveys will be both descriptive and quantitative in nature. Findings will be used to modify messages and graphic images if necessary to respond to the needs of the CNPP constituencies.

6. Federal Costs: $311,748.22

7. Study Start Date: November 22, 2010

8. Formative Research Tools:

   1. Appendix A – Sample invitation to take the survey (attached)

   2. Appendix B – Informed Consent Parental Permission form for minors (attached)

   3. Appendix C – Privacy Statement for Participants (attached)

   4. Appendix D – Questionnaire for adults (attached)

   5. Appendix E – Questionnaire for children (attached)