Justification for Change

Change Request

2013-2014 National Adult Tobacco Survey (NATS)

(OMB no. 0920-0828, approved 7/30/2012, exp. Date 7/31/2015)

August 29, 2013

Summary

Information collection for the National Adult Tobacco Survey (NATS) consists of computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) with adults 18 and older using random digit dial landline and cell phone sample frames. For administration of the survey in 2013-2014, we request modification of the questionnaire content as follows:

• Three (3) items from the 2012-2013 version of the NATS will be dropped (see p. 1 of Itemized List of Changes)

• Six (6) items from the 2009-2010 NATS will be reinstated; some of these questions have been modified (see pp. 2-5 of Itemized List of Changes))

• Six (6) new questions will be added to the 2013-2014 NATS (see pp. 6-8 of Itemized List of Changes))

• Thirteen (13) items from 2012-2013 NATS will be replaced with 13 similar items for 2013-2014 NATS (see pp. 9-13 of Itemized List of Changes))

• The demographics section (17 questions) will be moved from near the end of the questionnaire to the middle, with no changes to the item content (see pp. 14-24 of Itemized List of Changes)).

Effect of Proposed Changes on the Estimated Burden per Response and Data Collection Instruments

The total number of questions has increased by nine (9), but there is no change in the estimated burden per response (20 minutes). Analysis of 2012-2013 NATS responses indicates that the previous burden estimate of 20 minutes is ample, and that most respondents complete within 18 minutes. Therefore, the current burden estimate will still accommodate the new questions, the majority of which are asked of only a proportion of respondents. Changes will affect the English version of the NATS (App. I-3) and the Spanish version (App. H-3).

Justification

In the fall of 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) began collaborating with the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) in order to assist CTP with their new regulatory powers over tobacco. OSH and CTP agreed that the NATS could be adapted to serve the needs of both agencies, thus avoiding duplication of effort. The resulting NATS questionnaire includes questions specifically designed to support OSH’s programmatic needs, such as the ability to track Key Outcome Indicators for Evaluating Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs, as well as questions specifically designed to monitor and inform CTP’s regulatory activities.

Of the six (6) questions being reinstated, one (1) is a key covariate, four (4) will allow for the evaluation of four of CDC’s Key Outcome Indicators, and one (1) will obtain information on the brand preference among cigarette consumers and to obtain price-related promotions information by brand.

The (6) six new questions that will be added address two issues: four (4) questions will provide data on the purchasing habits of cigarette consumers and to provide information on tax avoidance and evasion. Two (2) questions will provide data regarding the susceptibly of individuals who live in multiunit housing to secondhand smoke incursions from nearby units and shared areas; these questions will allow for the evaluation of two of CDC’s Key Outcome Indicators.

The demographic questions will be moved to the middle of the questionnaire, so as to be asked earlier in the interview. The rationale is that these questions are key covariates and these data will be missing less frequently due to survey break-offs if they are asked earlier in the interview.