SUPPORTING STATEMENT - PART A
Personalized Web-based Sexual Assault Prevention for Service Members –
OMB Control Number 0703-PWSP
1. Need for the Information Collection
This submission corresponds to the grant number W81XWH-20-2-0039 funded by the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) and aligns with the Secretary of Defense’s call for novel programs to prevent sexual assault within the military. Reducing sexual assault among service members is a significant national priority. There are few rigorous evaluations of assault prevention programs for service members. Given the practical challenges of delivering tailored sexual assault prevention to service members in- person, a computerized prevention program that focuses on multiple risk factors for sexual aggression and sexual victimization while engaging all service members as active bystanders to reduce risk for violence addresses a significant gap in prevention delivery.
The aim of this study is to assist in the adaptation of an existing web-based sexual assault prevention program for college men and women, for use among the Navy population.
To achieve this aim, data will be collected in several ways (i.e., normative survey, focus groups, and interviews) and participants will participate in only one type of data collection. First, responses to a normative survey (N=500) will provide information about the behavior and attitudes of Sailors regarding alcohol use and sexual assault. Next, focus groups (N = 60) and interviews (N = 27) will be conducted to obtain feedback about the content of the intervention and ways to adapt it for Sailors. There is no standardized set of questions for the focus groups or interviews. Interviewees and focus group respondents will be selected based on their drinking habits, which will be determined by a brief pre-interview/focus group survey. After interview/focus group completion, a post-interview/focus group survey will be given to obtain demographic and alcohol use information to be used as descriptive information, as well as data from standardized measures that assess respondents’ opinions of the existing intervention. All surveys will be completed via a HIPAA- compliant software. Data from these surveys will be incorporated into the intervention content and help generate an adapted prototype of the sexual assault prevention program (+Change) for Sailors.
The results of these surveys will impact the Department of the Navy by documenting the feasibility, acceptability, satisfaction, and utility of a multi-pronged, individually tailored, and easily distributed prevention program that addresses the large problem of sexual assault, and the associated effects of alcohol for Sailors. In the long-term, this research benefits the readiness of the force by producing an easily disseminated high-quality sexual assault prevention program that can be implemented in multiple military settings and sustain evaluation in a larger clinical trial. This research can also have a secondary impact on reducing hazardous alcohol use among service members and can prevent the occurrence of alcohol use problems and associated negative health sequelae in service members. These long-term objectives are consistent with both DoD (including section 540D of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act) and the national public health priorities.
This study is a critical advancement in the prevention of sexual assault in military service members. Our approach is novel and innovative in that it will allow improved access and privacy via a computerized approach. Developing this program in a careful and strategic way will help to ensure that the program meets the needs of service members.
2. Use of the Information
The research procedures to be applied in this study correspond with that of Dr. Lindsay Orchowski at Rhode Island Hospital/ Brown University. Dr. Orchowski has conducted these research procedures with active duty male Soldiers at Ft. Bragg, through the support of CDMRP funding (2015-present; PT140100). Dr. Orchowski’s prior (IRB- and HRPO- approved) research at Ft. Bragg has used many of the scales that will be used in these surveys. The scales used in the surveys are standard assessments of the study constructs, showing no adverse effects among participants. It is also important to note that surveying experiences of aggression or trauma shows no adverse effects among participants. In fact, studies assessing participant reactions to research suggest that participants appreciate the opportunity to disclose these experiences. Participants can skip any items they choose, and are informed they can stop at any time, and that the research is voluntary.
A large random sample of email addresses of Sailors will be obtained from the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) to be used to contact potential normative survey participants. Sailors may also be recruited via flyers posted on base. Approximately 500 active duty Sailors ages 18-24 will be invited to participate in the normative survey.
A random selection of these DMDC-provided email addresses, as well as email addresses from interested Sailors responding to recruitment flyers, will be used to obtain participants for the individual interviews (n = 27), and small focus groups (5-7 participants per group), for a total of 60 focus group participants. Before and after each interview, participants will complete the pre- and post-interview surveys. Before and after each focus group, participants will complete the pre- and post- focus group surveys.
All 3 survey types are electronic, and obtain data via multiple- choice, and fill-in-the-blank questions. For each survey, respondents will click on the link that is emailed to them by the project staff and will be automatically directed to the HIPAA-compliant electronic survey. The normative survey can be completed in approximately 30 minutes, while the pre- post-interview/focus group surveys can be completed in approximately 5 and 10 minutes respectively. Once Sailors click “submit” at the end of the online surveys, responses are stored (with no identifying information) on the platform. Only project staff have access to the encrypted and password-protected non-identifiable survey responses.
The results of these surveys will be incorporated into the existing web-based sexual assault prevention program to increase its applicability to the Navy population, and a prototype of this new Navy-centric sexual assault prevention program is anticipated to be complete by January 2025.
3. Use of Information Technology
100% of responses are collected electronically, as the surveys are web-based only.
4. Non-duplication
The information obtained through this collection is unique and is not already available for use or adaptation from another cleared source.
5. Burden on Small Businesses
This information collection does not impose a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small businesses or entities.
6. Less Frequent Collection
Data are collected only once per service member, and during off-duty hours.
7. Paperwork Reduction Act Guidelines
This collection of information does not require collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with the guidelines delineated in 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2).
8. Consultation and Public Comments
Part A: PUBLIC NOTICE
We are requesting an emergency authorization of this survey. Without this information, the sexual assault prevention intervention cannot be tailored to meet the unique needs of the Navy, and this grant-funded project will be unreasonably delayed and threaten project execution to create a prototype of a sexual assault prevention intervention for Sailors.
A 30-Day Emergency Federal Register Notice for the collection published on Wednesday, January 26, 2022. The FRN citation is 87 FR 4006.
Part B: CONSULTATION
The project involving the attached surveys corresponds to the grant W81XWH-20-2-0039 funded by the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) and aligns with the Secretary of Defense’s call for novel programs to prevent sexual assault within the military. We consulted with Drs. Beverly Fortson and Andra Tharp of the DoD Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office (SAPRO) to ensure that the survey items were consistent with the standards in the field and within the DoD, as well as appropriate to meet the project aims aligned with sponsor priorities.
9. Gifts or Payment
Sailors will receive a $30 gift card for their normative survey completion, and a $40 gift card for their participation in either a focus group or interview. However, the surveys will cost $0 to the Navy, considering they will be completed during off-duty hours.
10. Confidentiality
The PAS is located in the electronic informed consent form and must be completed prior to the web-based surveys.
A System of Record Notice (SORN) is not required for this collection because records are not retrievable by PII.
A Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) is not required for this collection because PII is not being collected electronically.
11. Sensitive Questions
The normative and post-interview/focus group surveys are completely anonymous and participants are instructed that they do not have to answer any question they do not wish to answer. All three survey types ask demographic questions, including questions about race/ethnicity. To ensure we are adequately tailoring the sexual assault prevention program to meet the specific needs of the Navy population, and with sensitivity to diversity, this information is essential to capture. The normative survey has two measures related to mental health symptoms commonly used within the DoD. These questions provide information to understand related factors that are pertinent to intervention content. Finally, the normative survey collects information on sexual behaviors and attitudes. Providing this information is critical to informing the sexual assault prevention program. Without this information, the project would not be feasible.
12. Respondent Burden and its Labor Costs
Part A: ESTIMATION OF RESPONDENT BURDEN
Collection Instrument(s)
Sexual Assault Prevention in Service Members Normative Survey
Number of Respondents: 500
Number of Responses Per Respondent: 1
Number of Total Annual Responses: 500
Response Time: 25 minutes
Respondent Burden Hours: 208.3 hours
Interview/Focus Group Surveys
[Pre-Interview/Focus Group Survey]
Number of Respondents: 87
Number of Responses Per Respondent: 1
Number of Total Annual Responses: 87
Response Time: 5 minutes
Respondent Burden Hours: 7.3 hours
[Post-Interview/Focus Group Survey]
Number of Respondents: 87
Number of Responses Per Respondent: 1
Number of Total Annual Responses: 87
Response Time: 10 minutes
Respondent Burden Hours: 14.5 hours
Total Submission Burden
Total Number of Respondents: 587
Total Number of Annual Responses: 674
Total Respondent Burden Hours: 230 hours
Part B: LABOR COST OF RESPONDENT BURDEN
Collection Instrument(s)
Sexual Assault Prevention in Service Members Normative Survey
Number of Total Annual Responses: 500
Response Time: 25 minutes
Respondent Hourly Wage: $14.42
Labor Burden per Response: $6.01
Total Labor Burden: $3,004.17
Interview/Focus Group Surveys
[Pre-Interview/Focus Group Survey]
Number of Total Annual Responses: 87
Response Time: 5 minutes
Respondent Hourly Wage: $14.42
Labor Burden per Response: $1.20
Total Labor Burden: $104.55
[Post-Interview/Focus Group Survey]
Number of Total Annual Responses: 87
Response Time: 10 minutes
Respondent Hourly Wage: $14.42
Labor Burden per Response: $2.40
Total Labor Burden: $209.09
Overall Labor Burden
Total Number of Annual Responses: 674
Total Labor Burden: $3,318
The Respondent hourly wage was determined by using an average of minimum and maximum earnings for enlisted service members (E1-E4) from the following data source: https://www.dfas.mil/MilitaryMembers/payentitlements/Pay-Tables/Basic-Pay/EM/
13. Respondent Costs Other Than Burden Hour Costs
There are no annualized costs to respondents other than the labor burden costs addressed in Section 12 of this document to complete this collection.
14. Cost to the Federal Government
Part A: LABOR COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Collection Instrument(s)
Sexual Assault Prevention in Service Members Survey
Number of Total Annual Responses: 500
Processing Time per Response: 0 hours
Hourly Wage of Worker(s) Processing Responses: $0
Cost to Process Each Response: $0
Total Cost to Process Responses: $0
Interview/Focus Group Surveys
[Pre-Interview/Focus Group Survey]
Number of Total Annual Responses: 27
Processing Time per Response: 0 hours
Hourly Wage of Worker(s) Processing Responses: $0
Cost to Process Each Response: $0
Total Cost to Process Responses: $0
[Post-Interview/Focus Group Survey]
Number of Total Annual Responses: 27
Processing Time per Response: 0 hours
Hourly Wage of Worker(s) Processing Responses: $0
Cost to Process Each Response: $0
Total Cost to Process Responses: $0
Overall Labor Burden to the Federal Government
Total Number of Annual Responses: 674
Total Labor Burden: $0
Part B: OPERATIONAL AND MAINTENANCE COSTS
Cost Categories
Equipment: $0
Printing: $0
Postage: $0
Software Purchases: $0
Licensing Costs: $0
Other: $0
Total Operational and Maintenance Cost: $0
Part C: TOTAL COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Total Labor Cost to the Federal Government: $0
Total Operational and Maintenance Costs: $0
Total Cost to the Federal Government: $0
15. Reasons for Change in Burden
This is a new collection with a new associated burden.
16. Publication of Results
The results of these surveys will be incorporated into the existing web-based sexual assault prevention program to increase its applicability to the Navy population. We also anticipate that the data set will be utilized for secondary data analyses examining the intersection of substance use and sexual violence among service members. These findings may be shared with the research community through scientific peer-reviewed journal publications.
17. Non-Display of OMB Expiration Date
We are not seeking approval to omit the display of the expiration date of the OMB approval on the collection instruments.
18. Exceptions to “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Submissions”
We are not requesting any exemptions to the provisions stated in 5 CFR 1320.9.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Kaitlin Chiarelli |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2022-01-27 |