HMTS Expedited Review Form Rad Risk Scale 20130806

Health Message Testing System Expedited Review Form
1. Title of Study: (Please append screener and questionnaire)

Radiation Risk Scale Focus Groups

2. Study Population: (Discuss study population and explain how they will be selected/recruited.)

Adults ages 18 years to 75 or older in four major metropolitan areas in the United States. Participants will
be recruited from commercial market research firms. See Attachments A, B and E for
additional details.
Respondent characteristics:
Number of subject: 96

Number of males:

48

Age range: 18-75 years or older

Number of females: 48

Racial/ethnic composition: mix; reflective of the communities
Special group status: (e.g., risk group, health care providers)
Type of group(s): Adults
Geographic location(s): Four major metropolitan areas in the United States (St. Louis,
MO; Atlanta, GA; Houston, TX; and Phoenix, AZ)
3. Incentives: (State what incentive will be offered and justify proposed incentives to be used in study.)

Incentives result in better show rates and lower recruiting fees. Therefore, the incentive recommended for
this project is $40 per participant. For additional justification, please see Attachment B.

4. Study method: (Please check one below)
Central location intercept interview:
Online Interview:
Telephone interview:
Other (describe):

Focus group:
Individual in-depth interview (cognitive interview):

(CATI used: yes or no):

5. Purpose of the overall communication effort into which this health message(s) will fit:
(Please provide 2-3 sentences below.)

People need to know if a situation involving radiation or radioactive materials is “safe” for them or their
family. The radiation protection community continues to struggle addressing this need. To address this
need, Dr. Armin Ansari, from CDC’s Radiation Studies Branch has created the Radiation Risk Scale as a
communication tool for the public to help them assess their own risk in a radiation emergency and
understand how following protective actions can lower their risk of health effects.
6. Category of time sensitivity: (Please check one below)
Health emergency:
Time-limited audience access:
Press coverage correction:
Time-limited congressional/administrative mandate:
Trend Tracking
Ineffective existing materials due to historical event/social trends:
7. Describe nature of time sensitivity: (Please provide 2-3 sentences below.)
The Radiation Risk Scale is a new tool. This research will assist in ensuring the tool is designed in a way
that meets information needs effectively, and will also identify ways emergency communicators can use
this tool with the public. Events in Fukushima, Japan highlighted the need to develop radiation risk
communication messages to assist the public in accurately assessing their own risk.

8. Number of burden hours requested: 192

BURDEN HOURS
No. of
Participation
Respondents Time

Category of Respondent

Burden

General Public (Screener)

192

15/60

48

General Public (Focus Group)

96

90/60

144

Totals

192

9. Are you using questions from the approved question bank?

Yes

If yes, please list the item number(s) for questions used from the question bank separated by a comma.
(e.g., 1a, 3c, 130d)
[Screener: 1a, 2a, 4a, 6a, 11a, 14a, 1b, 2b] [Moderator Guide: 1d, 6d, 7d, 12d, 15d, 29d, 33d, 38d, 40d,
41d, 45d, 46d, 54d, 55d, 66d, 67d, 91d, 97d, 1e,6e, 11e, 12e, 15e, 16e, 17e, 18e, 1f]
*** Items below to be completed by Office of Associate Director for Communication (OADC)***
1. Number of burden hours remaining in current year's allocation: 3945
2. OADC confirmation of time-sensitivity:
Yes:
No:

Barbara Morrison
Project Officer
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