Justification for Change

Justification for the modification of 0920-0740, “Medical Monitoring Project (MMP)”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requests to add an optional data collection mode to the currently approved data collection system, 0920-0740 called the Medical Monitoring Project (MMP).

This project collects data on behaviors and clinical outcomes from a probability sample of HIV-infected adults receiving care in the United States. Collection of data from interviews with HIV-infected patients provides information on patient demographics, and current levels of behaviors that may facilitate HIV transmission: sexual and drug use behaviors; patients' access to, use of and barriers to HIV-related secondary prevention services; utilization of HIV-related medical services; and adherence to drug regimens. Collection of data from patient medical records provides information on: demographics and insurance status; the prevalence and incidence of AIDS-defining opportunistic illnesses and co-morbidities related to HIV disease; the receipt of prophylactic and antiretroviral medications; and whether patients are receiving screening and treatment according to Public Health Service guidelines. No other Federal agency collects national population-based behavioral and clinical information from HIV-infected adults in care. The data will have significant implications for policy, program development, and resource allocation at the state/local and national levels.

CDC is requesting to add telephone interviews as an optional data collection mode to MMP. Currently, MMP relies exclusively on face-to-face interviews, which has imposed a heavy burden on jurisdictions that have both large geographic areas to cover and project staff that are centrally located. For example, some jurisdictions have staff driving 2-3 hours to conduct face-to-face interviews with one or two participants, which is an inefficient way of using project resources. Telephone interviews are expected to improve project efficiency by maximizing current project resources, as well as potentially increasing participation rates.

As there are no changes to the number of questions and no changes in the estimated time to complete the form, there is no change to the overall burden.