Division of Preventive Medicine

Stefan Kertesz, MD MSc

Associate Professor
Division of Preventive Medicine

Contact Information:

Medical Towers 608
1717 11th Avenue South
Birmingham, Alabama 35205
Phone: (205) 934-2958
Fax: (205) 975-5199
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Research Interests

  • Access to quality addiction and medical care for homeless and other underserved populations
  • Development of health professionals to address unmet health needs among disadvantaged populations
  • Natural history and consequences of substance misuse in adults

Educational Background

  • Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MSc, 2002
  • Harvard Medical School, Boston, MD, 1993
  • University of Chicago, Chicago, BA, 1988

Professional Activities

  • Board of Directors, Albert Schweitzer Fellowship
  • President, OneRoofAlabama (2009-2012)
  • Field Advisory Committee, Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team Initiative, Veterans Health Administration
  • Board of Advisors, Changed Lives Christian Center, Birmingham, AL
  • Birmingham Mayoral Commission to End Chronic Homelessness (2006-2007)
  • Board of Directors, Rural Urban Self Help (RUSH), Birmingham, AL
  • Treatment Access Subcommittee of the Alabama Supreme Court Task Force on Drug Courts (named by Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb) (2007-2009)

Selected Recent Publications

  • Pletcher MJ, Vittinghoff E, Kalhan R, Richman J, Safford M, Sidney S, Lin F, Kertesz S. Association Between Marijuana Exposure and Pulmonary Function over 20 Years. The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study. JAMA, 2012;307:173-181
  • Kertesz SG, Khodneva Y, Richman J, Tucker JA, PhD, Safford MM, Jones B, Schumacher J, Pletcher MJ. Trajectories of Drug Use and Mortality Outcomes among Adults Followed Prospectively for 18 years: the CARDIA Study. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2012, In Press.
  • Sloan FA, Costanzo PR, Belsky D, Holmbert E, Malone PS, Wang Y, Kertesz SG. Heavy drinking in early adulthood and outcomes at mid life. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. 2011;65:600-605. PMID 20713371.
  • Milby JB, Schumacher JE, Vuchnich R, Kertesz SG, Mennemeyer ST. Effects of Sustained Abstinence among treated Substance-Abusing Homeless Persons on Housing and Employment. American Journal of Public Health. 2010; 100(5): 913-918. PMC2853629
  • Kertesz SG, Weiner SJ. Housing the Chronically Homeless: High Hopes, Complex Realities. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2009; 301(17):1822-1824
  • Kertesz SG, Hwang SW, Richey FJ, LaGory M. Rising inability to obtain needed health care among homeless persons in Birmingham: 1995-2005. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2009, Jul;24(7): 841-847
  • Wang EA, Pletcher M, Vittinghoff E, Kertesz SG, Kiefe CI, Bibbins-Domingo K. Incarceration, Incident Hypertension, and Access to Healthcare: Findings from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study. Archives of Internal Medicine. In Press
  • Milby JB, Schumacher JE, Vuchnich R, Kertesz SG, Mennemeyer ST. Sustained Abstinence for treated Substance Abusing Homeless Persons Leads to Stable Housing and Employment. American Journal of Public Health. In Press
  • Kertesz SG, Crouch K Milby J In Press (pre-release copy at: ) to 2009; Vol. 87, (2): 495-534.
  • Pletcher MJ, Kertesz SG, Kohn MA, Gonzales R. Trends in opioid prescribing by race/ethnicity for patients seeking care in US emergency departments. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2008; 299(1):70-78.
  • DeSalvo KB, Kertesz SG. Creating a More Resilient Safety Net for Persons with Chronic Disease: Beyond the “Medical Home.” Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2007; 22:1377-1379.
  • Milby J, Schumacher J, Wallace D, Kertesz SG, Vuchinich R. Towards Cost Effective Initial care for Substance Abusing Homeless. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 2008; 34(2):180-191.
  • Schumacher J, Milby JB, Wallace D, Meehan DC, Kertesz SG, Vuchinich R, Dunning J, Usdan R. Meta-analysis of contingency management and day treatment dismantling research: Birmingham Homeless Cocaine Studies. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 2008; 75(5): 823-828.
  • Kertesz SG, McNeil W, Kelly J, Cash JJ, Michael M, Foushee H, Desmond R. Survey Report: Health Care Crisis for Birmingham Homeless (public report). Issued August 27, 2010.
  • Kertesz SG, Posner MA, O’Connell JJ, Compton AN, Swain SE, Shwartz M, Ash AS. Post-Hospital Medical Respite Care and Readmission of Homeless Persons. Journal of prevention & intervention in the community. In Press.

Awards

  • 2008 UAB Teaching Award, Division of Preventive Medicine
  • 2007 New Investigator Award, Association for Medical Education and Research on Substance Abuse
  • 2004 Best Scientific Abstract, 2004 Southern Meeting of the Society of General Internal Medicine