Stefan G Kertesz
Biographic Data
| ID | 79744 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Stefan G Kertesz |
| GIVEN NAMES | Stefan G |
| FAMILY NAME | Kertesz |
| SIGNATURE | KERTESZ S G |
| AFFILIATIONS | Birmingham VA Medical Center |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-6101-8421 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 30 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 30 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 30 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2005 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Spiritual Supports for Formerly Unhoused US Veterans
Health Care Outcomes of Homelessness Prevention Programs in Veterans Experiencing Housing Instability
In this study, federal prevention solutions to homelessness were associated with improved health outcomes and lower inpatient costs, which should inform national policy debates within and beyond the VA
Retaining HUD-Vash housing
Introduction: Permanent supportive housing programs, such as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH), are a highly important intervention to address homelessness among Veterans. Unsheltered Veterans are a priority population for HUD-VASH because this group is especially vulnerable and may face higher risk of exit from HUD-VASH. Method: We developed a 6-year retrospective (2012–2018) longi…
The use of hotels/motels to address homelessness among veterans during the Covid-19 pandemic
The objective of this exploratory mixed methods study is to assess the use of hotels/motels among Veterans experiencing housing instability during the COVID-19 pandemic to inform policy and programmatic responses to homelessness during such emergencies. We analyzed qualitative interviews conducted with national-level homeless services leadership and Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program providers during October 2020–May 2021 and…
Longitudinal experience of primary care in a cohort of multiply diagnosed persons with HIV experiencing homelessness
Increasing evidence shows benefit of patient-tailored medical care on patients’ experiences of care and, consequently, retention in care and clinical outcomes. Many studies of patient experience use cross-sectional data sampled from broad patient populations. In this study, we assessed longitudinal patient experience of tailored care in a cohort of homeless persons diagnosed with HIV and substance use/mental health disorders. This population face…
Insights for conducting large-scale surveys with veterans who have experienced homelessness
001). Compared to non-respondents, respondents were older, less likely to have mental health, drug, or alcohol conditions, and had fewer VA housing and emergency service visits. Collectively, our results indicated a national mailed survey approach is feasible and successful for reaching VA patients who have recently experienced homelessness. These findings offer insight into how health systems can obtain perspectives of socially disadvantaged gro…
Which veterans in the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program receive temporary financial assistance and why
The VA Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program is one of the largest housing assistance programs in the US. One of the key components of this program is temporary financial assistance (TFA) which can be used for rent, security deposits, utilities, and other housing-related expenses. The objective of this paper was to identify characteristics of SSVF enrollees that are associated with receiving any TFA and the amount of TFA receive…
What do Veterans with homeless experience want us to know that we are not asking? A qualitative content analysis of comments from a national survey of healthcare experience
Surveys of people who experience homelessness can portray their life and healthcare experiences with a level of statistical precision; however, few have explored how the very same surveys can deliver qualitative insights as well. In responding to surveys, people experiencing homelessness can use the margins to highlight health and social concerns that investigators failed to anticipate that standard question batteries miss. This study describes t…
Perceptions of Care Coordination Among Homeless Veterans Receiving Medical Care in the Veterans Health Administration and Community Care Settings
BACKGROUND: Initiatives to expand Veterans' access to purchased health care outside Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities ("community care") present care coordination challenges for Veterans experiencing homelessness. OBJECTIVE: Among Veterans with homeless experiences, to evaluate community care use and satisfaction, and compare perceptions of care coordination among Veterans using VHA services and community care to those using VHA ser…
Comparison of Patient Experience Between Primary Care Settings Tailored for Homeless Clientele and Mainstream Care Settings
BACKGROUND: More than 1 million Americans receive primary care from federal homeless health care programs yearly. Vulnerabilities that can make care challenging include pain, addiction, psychological distress, and a lack of shelter. Research on the effectiveness of tailoring services for this population is limited. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to examine whether homeless-tailored primary care programs offer a superior patient experience compared with n…
Veterans’ assignment to single-site versus scattered-site permanent supportive housing
To address homelessness among Veterans, a growing proportion of permanent supportive housing units supported by the U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development and Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program are allocated to programs where multiple Veterans with a history of homelessness live in a particular building, referred to as single-site housing. This mixed-methods study-including administrative data from Veterans who move…
Exploring Quality of Primary Care for Patients Who Experience Homelessness and the Clinicians Who Serve Them
To develop and evaluate an effective model of patient-centered, high-quality, homeless-focused primary care, our team explored key domains of primary care that may be important to patients. We anchored our conceptual framework in two reports from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) that defined components of primary care and quality of care. Using questions developed from this framework, we conducted semistructured interviews with 36 homeless-experie…
Applying the Housing First approach to single-site permanent supportive housing
This study explored how the U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program applies Housing First principles in the context of ten single-site programs. Focus group discussions with 64 HUD-VASH staff and community partners explored how the programs were influenced by Housing First principles and specific strategies to implement these principles in a single-site setting. Focus group responde…
Providing Positive Primary Care Experiences for Homeless Veterans Through Tailored Medical Homes
BACKGROUND: In 2012, select Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities implemented a homeless-tailored medical home model, called Homeless Patient Aligned Care Teams (H-PACT), to improve care processes and outcomes for homeless Veterans. OBJECTIVE: The main aim of this study was to determine whether H-PACT offers a better patient experience than standard VHA primary care. RESEARCH DESIGN: We used multivariable logistic regressions to estimat…
A Randomized Pilot Trial of a Novel Behavioral Intervention for Chronic Pain Tailored to Individuals with HIV
Differences in Experiences With Care Between Homeless and Nonhomeless Patients in Veterans Affairs Facilities With Tailored and Nontailored Primary Care Teams
BACKGROUND: Homeless patients describe poor experiences with primary care. In 2012, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) implemented homeless-tailored primary care teams (Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team, HPACTs) that could improve the primary care experience for homeless patients. OBJECTIVE: To assess differences in primary care experiences between homeless and nonhomeless Veterans receiving care in VHA facilities that had HPACTs available…
Homeless Status, Postdischarge Health Care Utilization, and Readmission After Surgery
INTRODUCTION: Homeless Veterans are vulnerable to poor care transitions, yet little research has examined their risk of readmission following inpatient surgery. This study investigates the predictors of surgical readmission among homeless relative to housed Veteran patients. METHODS: Inpatient general, vascular, and orthopedic surgeries occurring in the Veterans Health Administration from 2008 to 2014 were identified. Administrative International…
Factors Associated with Prescription of Opioids and Co-prescription of Sedating Medications in Individuals with HIV
Alabama Veterans Rural Health Initiative
PURPOSE: Access, enrollment, and engagement with primary and specialty health care services present significant challenges for rural populations worldwide. The Alabama Veterans Rural Health Initiative evaluated an innovative outreach intervention combining motivational interviewing, patient navigation, and health services education to promote utilization of the United States Veterans Administration Healthcare System (VA) by veterans who live in r…
Development of the Primary Care Quality-Homeless (PCQ-H) Instrument
BACKGROUND: Homeless patients face unique challenges in obtaining primary care responsive to their needs and context. Patient experience questionnaires could permit assessment of patient-centered medical homes for this population, but standard instruments may not reflect homeless patients' priorities and concerns. OBJECTIVES: This report describes (a) the content and psychometric properties of a new primary care questionnaire for homeless patient…
Unmet Need for Medical Care and Safety Net Accessibility among Birmingham’s Homeless
Comparing Homeless Persons’ Care Experiences in Tailored Versus Nontailored Primary Care Programs
Objectives. We compared homeless patients’ experiences of care in health care organizations that differed in their degree of primary care design service tailoring. Methods. We surveyed homeless-experienced patients (either recently or currently homeless) at 3 Veterans Affairs (VA) mainstream primary care settings in Pennsylvania and Alabama, a homeless-tailored VA clinic in California, and a highly tailored non-VA Health Care for the Homeless Pro…
Housing Instability and Incident Hypertension in the Cardia Cohort
Heavy drinking in early adulthood and outcomes at mid life
BACKGROUND: Heavy drinking in early adulthood among Blacks, but not Whites, has been found to be associated with more deleterious health outcomes, lower labor market success and lower educational attainment at mid-life. This study analysed psychosocial pathways underlying racial differences in the impact of early heavy alcohol use on occupational and educational attainment at mid-life. METHODS: Outcomes in labor market participation, occupational…
Effects of Sustained Abstinence Among Treated Substance-Abusing Homeless Persons on Housing and Employment
Objectives. We examined whether cocaine-dependent homeless persons had stable housing and were employed 6, 12, and 18 months after they entered a randomized controlled trial comparing 2 treatments. Methods. One group (n = 103) received abstinence-contingent housing, vocational training, and work; another group (n = 103) received the same intervention plus cognitive behavioral day treatment. We examined baseline and early treatment variables for a…
Comparing Homeless Persons’ Care Experiences in Tailored Versus Nontailored Primary Care Programs
Objectives. We compared homeless patients’ experiences of care in health care organizations that differed in their degree of primary care design service tailoring. Methods. We surveyed homeless-experienced patients (either recently or currently homeless) at 3 Veterans Affairs (VA) mainstream primary care settings in Pennsylvania and Alabama, a homeless-tailored VA clinic in California, and a highly tailored non-VA Health Care for the Homeless Pro…
Unmet Need for Medical Care and Safety Net Accessibility among Birmingham’s Homeless
Housing Instability and Incident Hypertension in the Cardia Cohort
Exploring Quality of Primary Care for Patients Who Experience Homelessness and the Clinicians Who Serve Them
To develop and evaluate an effective model of patient-centered, high-quality, homeless-focused primary care, our team explored key domains of primary care that may be important to patients. We anchored our conceptual framework in two reports from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) that defined components of primary care and quality of care. Using questions developed from this framework, we conducted semistructured interviews with 36 homeless-experie…
Effects of Sustained Abstinence Among Treated Substance-Abusing Homeless Persons on Housing and Employment
Objectives. We examined whether cocaine-dependent homeless persons had stable housing and were employed 6, 12, and 18 months after they entered a randomized controlled trial comparing 2 treatments. Methods. One group (n = 103) received abstinence-contingent housing, vocational training, and work; another group (n = 103) received the same intervention plus cognitive behavioral day treatment. We examined baseline and early treatment variables for a…
Heavy drinking in early adulthood and outcomes at mid life
BACKGROUND: Heavy drinking in early adulthood among Blacks, but not Whites, has been found to be associated with more deleterious health outcomes, lower labor market success and lower educational attainment at mid-life. This study analysed psychosocial pathways underlying racial differences in the impact of early heavy alcohol use on occupational and educational attainment at mid-life. METHODS: Outcomes in labor market participation, occupational…
Racial Differences in the Relationship Between Alcohol Consumption in Early Adulthood and Occupational Attainment at Midlife
Objectives. We assessed the relationship between alcohol consumption in young adulthood (ages 18–30 years) and occupational success 15 years later among Blacks and Whites. Methods. We analyzed data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study on employment status and occupational prestige at year 15 from baseline. The primary predictor was weekly alcohol use at baseline, after stratification by race and adjustment for socioecon…
Homeless Chronicity and Health-Related Quality of Life Trajectories Among Adults With Addictions
Chronic homelessness was associated with especially poor mental but not physical HRQOL over time. These findings reinforce a new typology of homelessness
Need and Non-Need Factors Associated with Addiction Treatment Utilization in a Cohort of Homeless and Housed Urban Poor
BACKGROUND: Research on addiction treatment utilization in indigent samples mainly has been retrospective, without measures of addictive consequences, social network influences, and motivation. Prospective assessment of factors influencing utilization could inform policy and clinical care. OBJECTIVE: We sought to identify factors associated with utilization of addiction treatment and mutual help groups among substance-dependent persons with high …
Trends in Opioid Prescribing by Race/Ethnicity for Patients Seeking Care in US Emergency Departments
CONTEXT: National quality improvement initiatives implemented in the late 1990s were followed by substantial increases in opioid prescribing in the United States, but it is unknown whether opioid prescribing for treatment of pain in the emergency department has increased and whether differences in opioid prescribing by race/ethnicity have decreased. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether opioid prescribing in emergency departments has increased, whethe…
Housing First for Homeless Persons with Active Addiction
Context: More than 350 communities in the United States have committed to ending chronic homelessness. One nationally prominent approach, Housing First, offers early access to permanent housing without requiring completion of treatment or, for clients with addiction, proof of sobriety. Methods: This article reviews studies of Housing First and more traditional rehabilitative (e.g., “linear”) recovery interventions, focusing on the outcomes obtain…
Racial Differences in the Relationship Between Alcohol Consumption in Early Adulthood and Occupational Attainment at Midlife
Objectives. We assessed the relationship between alcohol consumption in young adulthood (ages 18–30 years) and occupational success 15 years later among Blacks and Whites. Methods. We analyzed data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study on employment status and occupational prestige at year 15 from baseline. The primary predictor was weekly alcohol use at baseline, after stratification by race and adjustment for socioecon…
Effects of Sustained Abstinence Among Treated Substance-Abusing Homeless Persons on Housing and Employment
Objectives. We examined whether cocaine-dependent homeless persons had stable housing and were employed 6, 12, and 18 months after they entered a randomized controlled trial comparing 2 treatments. Methods. One group (n = 103) received abstinence-contingent housing, vocational training, and work; another group (n = 103) received the same intervention plus cognitive behavioral day treatment. We examined baseline and early treatment variables for a…
Heavy drinking in early adulthood and outcomes at mid life
BACKGROUND: Heavy drinking in early adulthood among Blacks, but not Whites, has been found to be associated with more deleterious health outcomes, lower labor market success and lower educational attainment at mid-life. This study analysed psychosocial pathways underlying racial differences in the impact of early heavy alcohol use on occupational and educational attainment at mid-life. METHODS: Outcomes in labor market participation, occupational…
Housing Instability and Incident Hypertension in the Cardia Cohort
Unmet Need for Medical Care and Safety Net Accessibility among Birmingham’s Homeless
Comparing Homeless Persons’ Care Experiences in Tailored Versus Nontailored Primary Care Programs
Objectives. We compared homeless patients’ experiences of care in health care organizations that differed in their degree of primary care design service tailoring. Methods. We surveyed homeless-experienced patients (either recently or currently homeless) at 3 Veterans Affairs (VA) mainstream primary care settings in Pennsylvania and Alabama, a homeless-tailored VA clinic in California, and a highly tailored non-VA Health Care for the Homeless Pro…
Alabama Veterans Rural Health Initiative
PURPOSE: Access, enrollment, and engagement with primary and specialty health care services present significant challenges for rural populations worldwide. The Alabama Veterans Rural Health Initiative evaluated an innovative outreach intervention combining motivational interviewing, patient navigation, and health services education to promote utilization of the United States Veterans Administration Healthcare System (VA) by veterans who live in r…
Development of the Primary Care Quality-Homeless (PCQ-H) Instrument
BACKGROUND: Homeless patients face unique challenges in obtaining primary care responsive to their needs and context. Patient experience questionnaires could permit assessment of patient-centered medical homes for this population, but standard instruments may not reflect homeless patients' priorities and concerns. OBJECTIVES: This report describes (a) the content and psychometric properties of a new primary care questionnaire for homeless patient…
Factors Associated with Prescription of Opioids and Co-prescription of Sedating Medications in Individuals with HIV
A Randomized Pilot Trial of a Novel Behavioral Intervention for Chronic Pain Tailored to Individuals with HIV
Differences in Experiences With Care Between Homeless and Nonhomeless Patients in Veterans Affairs Facilities With Tailored and Nontailored Primary Care Teams
BACKGROUND: Homeless patients describe poor experiences with primary care. In 2012, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) implemented homeless-tailored primary care teams (Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team, HPACTs) that could improve the primary care experience for homeless patients. OBJECTIVE: To assess differences in primary care experiences between homeless and nonhomeless Veterans receiving care in VHA facilities that had HPACTs available…
Homeless Status, Postdischarge Health Care Utilization, and Readmission After Surgery
INTRODUCTION: Homeless Veterans are vulnerable to poor care transitions, yet little research has examined their risk of readmission following inpatient surgery. This study investigates the predictors of surgical readmission among homeless relative to housed Veteran patients. METHODS: Inpatient general, vascular, and orthopedic surgeries occurring in the Veterans Health Administration from 2008 to 2014 were identified. Administrative International…
Applying the Housing First approach to single-site permanent supportive housing
This study explored how the U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program applies Housing First principles in the context of ten single-site programs. Focus group discussions with 64 HUD-VASH staff and community partners explored how the programs were influenced by Housing First principles and specific strategies to implement these principles in a single-site setting. Focus group responde…
Providing Positive Primary Care Experiences for Homeless Veterans Through Tailored Medical Homes
BACKGROUND: In 2012, select Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities implemented a homeless-tailored medical home model, called Homeless Patient Aligned Care Teams (H-PACT), to improve care processes and outcomes for homeless Veterans. OBJECTIVE: The main aim of this study was to determine whether H-PACT offers a better patient experience than standard VHA primary care. RESEARCH DESIGN: We used multivariable logistic regressions to estimat…
Veterans’ assignment to single-site versus scattered-site permanent supportive housing
To address homelessness among Veterans, a growing proportion of permanent supportive housing units supported by the U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development and Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program are allocated to programs where multiple Veterans with a history of homelessness live in a particular building, referred to as single-site housing. This mixed-methods study-including administrative data from Veterans who move…
Exploring Quality of Primary Care for Patients Who Experience Homelessness and the Clinicians Who Serve Them
To develop and evaluate an effective model of patient-centered, high-quality, homeless-focused primary care, our team explored key domains of primary care that may be important to patients. We anchored our conceptual framework in two reports from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) that defined components of primary care and quality of care. Using questions developed from this framework, we conducted semistructured interviews with 36 homeless-experie…
Perceptions of Care Coordination Among Homeless Veterans Receiving Medical Care in the Veterans Health Administration and Community Care Settings
BACKGROUND: Initiatives to expand Veterans' access to purchased health care outside Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities ("community care") present care coordination challenges for Veterans experiencing homelessness. OBJECTIVE: Among Veterans with homeless experiences, to evaluate community care use and satisfaction, and compare perceptions of care coordination among Veterans using VHA services and community care to those using VHA ser…
Comparison of Patient Experience Between Primary Care Settings Tailored for Homeless Clientele and Mainstream Care Settings
BACKGROUND: More than 1 million Americans receive primary care from federal homeless health care programs yearly. Vulnerabilities that can make care challenging include pain, addiction, psychological distress, and a lack of shelter. Research on the effectiveness of tailoring services for this population is limited. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to examine whether homeless-tailored primary care programs offer a superior patient experience compared with n…
What do Veterans with homeless experience want us to know that we are not asking? A qualitative content analysis of comments from a national survey of healthcare experience
Surveys of people who experience homelessness can portray their life and healthcare experiences with a level of statistical precision; however, few have explored how the very same surveys can deliver qualitative insights as well. In responding to surveys, people experiencing homelessness can use the margins to highlight health and social concerns that investigators failed to anticipate that standard question batteries miss. This study describes t…
Insights for conducting large-scale surveys with veterans who have experienced homelessness
001). Compared to non-respondents, respondents were older, less likely to have mental health, drug, or alcohol conditions, and had fewer VA housing and emergency service visits. Collectively, our results indicated a national mailed survey approach is feasible and successful for reaching VA patients who have recently experienced homelessness. These findings offer insight into how health systems can obtain perspectives of socially disadvantaged gro…
Which veterans in the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program receive temporary financial assistance and why
The VA Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program is one of the largest housing assistance programs in the US. One of the key components of this program is temporary financial assistance (TFA) which can be used for rent, security deposits, utilities, and other housing-related expenses. The objective of this paper was to identify characteristics of SSVF enrollees that are associated with receiving any TFA and the amount of TFA receive…
Medicine (27 works) · Homelessness and Social Issues (22 works) · Psychology (17 works) · Psychiatry (15 works) · Family medicine (14 works) · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations (14 works) · Health care (13 works) · Nursing (13 works) · Gerontology (10 works) · Veterans Affairs (8 works)