ATT H2 Brochure and Letter of Authorization

NSFG 2015-2018

OMB Attachment H2

OMB No. 0920-0314

To Whom It May Concern:
[INTERVIEWER NAME] has been authorized to work as a field interviewer on the National
Survey of Family Growth (NSFG). This major study is sponsored by the National Center for
Health Statistics of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This survey provides
information on health, marriage and divorce, having and raising children and medical care.
About 17,000 people in the U.S. will be selected at random to take part in this study.
The interviewers working on this study have been hired and trained by the University of
Michigan’s Survey Research Center, located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The National Center for
Health Statistics hired the University of Michigan (Contract # 200-2010-33976) to collect the
data for the survey.
If you would like more proof that [INTERVIEWER NAME] is an interviewer working for the
University of Michigan on this study, please call the Survey Research Center at 1-855-891-8891
(toll-free).
If you would like to know more about the NSFG, you may visit the study’s website:
www.cdc.gov/nchs/nsfg.htm. You may also call Dr. Joyce Abma or Dr. Gladys Martinez, at the
National Center for Health Statistics (1-866-227-8347 - toll-free), during business hours,
Monday through Friday.
Thank you in advance for your help with this important research study.
Sincerely,

Charles J. Rothwell
Director, National Center for Health Statistics

2014

A quien pueda interesar:
[INTERVIEWER NAME] ha sido autorizada para trabajar como entrevistadora en la Encuesta
Nacional de Crecimiento Familiar (NSFG, por sus siglas en inglés). Este importante estudio está
patrocinado por el Centro Nacional para Estadísticas de Salud del Departamento de Salud y
Servicios Humanos de los Estados Unidos. Esta encuesta proporciona información acerca de
salud, matrimonios y divorcios, tener y criar hijos, y atención médica.
Aproximadamente 17,000 personas en los EE.UU. serán seleccionadas al azar para participar en
este estudio.
Las entrevistadoras que trabajan en este estudio han sido empleadas y entrenadas para este
proyecto por el Centro de Encuestas de la Universidad de Michigan, ubicado en Ann Arbor,
Michigan. La Universidad de Michigan tiene un contrato (Contrato # 200-2010-33976) con el
Centro Nacional para Estadísticas de Salud para recopilar los datos de la encuesta.
Si desea más pruebas de que [INTERVIEWER NAME] es una entrevistadora que trabaja para la
Universidad de Michigan en este estudio, por favor póngase en contacto con el Centro de
Encuestas llamando al teléfono gratuito 1-800-643-7605.
Si desea más información sobre la encuesta NSFG, puede visitar en Internet la página del
estudio: www.cdc.gov/nchs/nsfg.htm. También puede llamar la Dra. Gladys Martinez (ella
habla Español) o a la Dr. Joyce Abma, al Centro Nacional para Estadísticas de Salud (teléfono
gratuito: 1-866-227-8347), durante horas de trabajo, de lunes a viernes.
Desde ya, le agradecemos su cooperación con este importante estudio.
Atentamente,

Charles J. Rothwell
Director, Centro Nacional para Estadísticas de Salud

2014

WHAT IS THE NATIONAL SURVEY OF FAMILY
GROWTH?

The best health decisions
are based on the best
health information.

“CDC’s National Survey of Family Growth
is critical to help ensure that policies and
programs address the health needs of all
Americans. The survey provides important
statistical information on family growth,
health, and health care that can be used to
help people live stronger and healthier lives.
I urge you to take part in this important
survey to help us build a foundation for a
healthier America.”
Charles J. Rothwell

Director,
National Center for Health Statistics

Your household has been chosen to take part
in the NATIONAL SURVEY OF FAMILY GROWTH.
The NSFG is an important research study of
men, women and families. In this brochure,
we answer some of the questions people ask
about the study.

The
National Survey
of
Family Growth

The National Survey of Family Growth
gathers information on family life, marriage
and divorce, pregnancy, infertility, use of
birth control, sexual experience, and men’s
and women’s health. The U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services uses the survey results. This information is used to plan
health services and educational programs.
The survey is authorized by a federal
law, Section 306(b)1(H) of the Public Health
Service Act (42 USC 242k), which asks us
to collect “statistics on family formation,
growth, and dissolution.”
The survey provides accurate national
statistics on critical issues like:
• People making choices about
school, work and having a family
• Women looking for a safe and
effective way to space their children
• The health care that men and
women get, including family planning and reproductive
health
• Risk for sexually transmitted
infections
• Child care services used by
working parents
• How programs for families and
children are working

WHO IS DOING THE NATIONAL SURVEY OF FAMILY
GROWTH?

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), part of the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, does the survey.
You can find out more about NCHS at
www.cdc.gov/nchs. NCHS has asked the
University of Michigan to do the interviews.
A professional, female interviewer from the
University of Michigan’s Survey Research
Center will come to your home and find out
if you are eligible for the study. The interviewer who comes to your home will have a
University of Michigan identification badge
with her picture on it and a Letter of Authorization from the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services. She will ask you questions and type your answers into a laptop
computer. You will also get to answer some
questions by putting answers into the computer yourself.

HOW WAS I CHOSEN?

We do not know who lives at
your house or what your name is.
We take a sample of households
from all across the United States.
When your interviewer arrives, she
will find out if there is someone in
your household we need to include
in our study.

WHY SHOULD I
PARTICIPATE? WHY
NOT INTERVIEW
ACROSS THE STREET?

We cannot talk
to all of the millions of men and women in this
country - that would cost too much and take
too long. So we scientifically select a “sample”
of households. We then choose one person
from some of those households to be in the
survey. Choosing the sample scientifically lets
us take the information we learn and use it to
better understand the whole population. Once
participants have been chosen they cannot be
replaced.

ARE THESE INTERVIEWS JUST FOR FAMILIES, OR
THOSE WITH CHILDREN?

Rev. 08/2014

No. If you do not have children, or live
alone, your responses are just as important to
the study as anyone else’s. You
will be asked only those questions that apply to you. For
example, we need to have
accurate information about
topics such as:
• How many people are
choosing not to have children or to have them later
in life
• How long marriages
and other relationships last
• How often divorced
fathers see their children
• The need for infertility services

WILL MY ANSWERS BE KEPT
PRIVATE?

Who is The UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN?
The University of Michigan was one of the first public
universities in the United States. Today, the University
is one of the largest research universities in the world.
This study is only one of many important surveys done
by the University’s Survey Research Center. Other
studies’ topics include families, health, retirement and
other important issues.

Yes. Federal law protects the confidentiality
of all the information you
provide [Section 308(d)
the Public Health Service
Act (42 USC 242m(d)),
the Privacy Act of 1974
(5 USC 552a), and the
Confidential Information
Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act (PL 107-347)]. Each research
staff member has signed a legal confidentiality
pledge. The answers you give will be combined
with answers from many other people. The
data will be reported as percentages, totals, and
averages. By law we cannot release information
that could identify you or your family to anyone
else. Anyone who breaks the law can be fined
up to $250,000, lose their job, and/or be sent to
prison.

DO I HAVE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS?

Your help with this study is voluntary. Saying
yes or no to being in the study will not change
any benefits you get now or in the future.
Most people find the interview interesting
and enjoyable. Your participation is very important because each person interviewed represents
thousands of others. Some of the questions may
be sensitive for some people. You may choose
not to answer any question for any reason and
may stop the interview at any time.

WHERE DO I GET MORE
INFORMATION?
For study information:
•
•
•

Ask your interviewer
Visit the survey’s website at
www.cdc.gov/nchs/nsfg.htm
Call Dr. Anjani Chandra or Dr.
Gladys Martinez at NCHS (tollfree): 1-866-227-8347

For information about your rights as a
participant:
•

Call the office set up to oversee
research (toll-free): 1-800-223-8118

To schedule an interview:
•

Call the University of Michigan
(toll-free): 1-855-891-8891

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?

Interviews take about 60-80 minutes for
most adults. Interviews for teenagers take about
60 minutes. A few interviews take a little less or
a little more time. We will do the interview at
the time that works best for you. Also, for your
help in being part of this study, you will receive
$40 as a token of our appreciation.

U.S. Department of Health
& Human Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Health Statistics

A Research Study for the
National Center for Health Statitics,
conducted by
The University of Michigan

Other Safeguards for Your
Privacy

• We remove any information that could
reveal who you are. Names and addresses are never
on anything we give out. We also mask details on
jobs, family, or other traits if they could lead to
anyone being identified.
• No one from outside NCHS can get to
the information stored in NCHS computers.
Measures include passwords, firewalls, and other
means to block people from getting these data.
• No one can obtain data that identifies you
from NCHS. We will not give information that
identifies a person to police, the military, or any
other government agency, including the Internal
Revenue Service, Immigration, or welfare agencies,
for any reason. And your information is protected
from the Freedom of Information Act and court
subpoenas.

For More Information

NCHS data are released in printed reports and
CD-ROM’s after identifying information has been
removed. For more information, visit the NCHS
home page:
www.cdc.gov/nchs

For specific questions about how NCHS
protects the information you provide, contact:
Eve Powell-Griner, Ph.D.
Confidentiality Officer
National Center for Health Statistics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
3311 Toledo Road, Room 7116
Hyattsville, MD 20782
Telephone: 301-458-4257
E-mail: EPowell-Griner@cdc.gov
U.S. Department of Health
& Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Health Statistics
A Research Study for the
National Center for Health Statistics conducted by
The University of Michigan

Rev 08/2014

The
National Survey
of
Family Growth
How We Keep Your
Information Strictly
Confidential

P

ing the
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c
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t
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r
p

ublic’s privacy…

The Law

Information collected in the National Survey
of Family Growth (NSFG) is used only for
statistical purposes. No information that could
identify a person can be released to anyone–
including the President, Congress, or any court.

The Sworn Statement

Anyone working on this study must sign an
affidavit—a legal document making them subject
to the Privacy Act, the Public Health Service Act,
and other laws. Anyone who violates the law can
be fined up to $250,000, lose their job, or go to
jail.

The Record

Since its very first survey in 1957, the
National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)
has maintained a perfect record in protecting the
privacy of people in its surveys.

le
d
i
no

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d
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pl

A message from the Director of NCHS:
This agency is well known for the quality
of the data we provide. Collecting high-quality
information is not possible unless we can promise
that the information you give us is confidential. We
can.
The principles of privacy and confidentiality
are firmly grounded in Federal laws. Those laws
include the Privacy Act, the Public Health Service
Act, Title 18 of the United States Code, and
the Confidential Information Protection and
Statistical Efficiency Act. All NCHS employees
must sign a pledge making them legally liable and
subject to all punishments in these laws.
Those working for NCHS must also strictly
observe special practices to protect confidential
information. The practices are meant to insure that
your privacy is respected.
So we have a number of very important
reasons for observing strict confidentiality. It is
the right thing to do. We could not collect quality
information without it. And it is required by law.
Charles J. Rothwell
Director,
National Center for Health Statistics

NCHS and NSFG

The National Center for Health Statistics
(NCHS) first carried out the National Survey
of Family Growth (NSFG) in 1973. For over
30 years, the NSFG has been the major source
of information on trends in US childbearing,
marriage and divorce, contraceptive use, and
parenting. These data are used to guide health
services and health education programs all over the
US. You can see some of the statistics produced
from the NSFG at our web site:
www.cdc.gov/nchs/nsfg.htm