This article reports on an evaluation of the Merck Childhood Asthma Network, Inc. (MCAN) initiative using pooled cross-site data on patient-reported outcomes pre- and postintervention to quantify the changes experienced by children in five program sites supported by the network. The results show a consistent pattern of improvement across all measured outcomes, including symptoms, hospital and emergency department use, school absences, and caregiver confidence. Children who started with uncontrolled asthma experienced larger improvements than children with controlled asthma at baseline. However, even considering the significant gains made by children with uncontrolled asthma at baseline, after 12 months, most of the outcomes for these children were significantly worse than the 12-month outcomes for children with controlled asthma at baseline. The evaluation of the MCAN initiative offers a model that can be used in cases where resources must be balanced between evaluation and delivering services to children. The design process and results from the common survey instrument provide information for future initiatives seeking to translate evidence-based interventions in a community-based setting.
