Leslie R Walker, MD

Professional History

Board Certified:

Adolescent Medicine
Pediatrics

Medical/Professional School:

University of Illinois College of Medicine, Rockford

Residency:

Wyler Children's Hospital, Chicago, Pediatrics

Fellowship:

UC - San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, Adolescent Medicine
University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, Adolescent Medicine

Clinical Interests:

Development of community involved academic adolescent medicine programs and adolescent substance abuse programs

Policy development and advocacy for high-risk youth

ADHD, poor school performance, Gyn issues, metabolic syndromes

Research Focus Area:

Behavioral / Mental Health
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Chronic Conditions / Special Health Care Needs

Description of Research:

My research is focused on the following: involving parents in the prevention and treatment of substance abuse and risky behaviors, research on school intervention for pregnancy prevention for adolescents in 5th and 6th grade, ADHD and smoking in adolescents, transitional healthcare for adolescents with special healthcare needs, motivational substance abuse treatment program with emphasis on parent involvement, substance-abuse prevention, and parenting skills for parents of adolescents with chronic medical conditions.

Key Publications:

Tercyak KP, Peshkin BN, Abraham A, Wine L, Walker LR Interest in Genetic Counseling and Testing for Nicotine Addiction Susceptibility Among Adolescent Medicine Providers for their Adolescent Patients. Journal of Adolescent Health 41 (2007) 42?50

Mason MJ, Walker LR, Wine LA, KnoperTS, Tercyak KP, Child and Adolescent Tobacco and Substance Use Within the Context of ADHD: Implications for Prevention and Treatment Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, accepted for publication in 2007.

Walker LR, Rose A, Squire C, Koo HP, "Parents' views on sexual debut among pre-teen children in Washington DC", Sex Education, 2008 8:2, 169-185.

Mason MJ, Walker LR, Posner MA Brief Substance Abuse Treatment with Urban Adolescents: A Translational Research Study. Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse. Accepted for Publication 2008.

Walker LR, Abraham A, Tercyak KP. Adolescent caffeine use is associated with ADHD and cigarette smoking: Findings from a primary care sample. Substance Use and Misuse. Accepted 2008.

O'Neill SC, Peshkin BN, Abraham A, Walker L, Luta G. and Tercyak K. Adolescent Medical Providers' Preparedness to Recommend Genetic Susceptibility Testing for Nicotine Addiction and Lung Cancer Risk to Adolescents. Journal pf Pediatric Psychology. Accepted 2008

Tercyak KP, Abraham AA, Graham AL, Wilson LD, Walker LR. Association of Multiple Behavioral Risk Factors with Adolescents' Willingness to engage in eHealth Promotion. Journal of Pediatric Psychology Accepted 2008.

Mason MJ, Schmidt CD, Abraham AA, Walker LR, Tercyak KP. Adolescents' Social Environment and Depression: Social Networks, Extracurricular Activity, Family Relationship influences. Journal of Primary Prevention. Accepted 2008.

Anderson KM, Jenkins R, Koo HP, Yao Q, El-Khorazaty, Walker LR, Davis M. Gender Differences in Attitudes Toward and Perceptions of Abstinence and Anticipated Sexual Behavior Among Urban African American Fifth Graders. Under revision 2008. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.

Koo HP, Rose A, Yao Qing, El-Khorazaty N, Jenkins RR, Anderson KM, Davis M, Walker LR. Evaluation of a randomized intervention to delay sexual initiation among fifth graders followed through the sixth grade. Under review Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health. 11/07.

Honors & Awards:

2010 President-Elect, Society for Adolescent Medicine (SAM)