Britini Ayers

Britini Ayers, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the College of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). Her research focuses on reducing maternal and infant health disparities among Marshallese Pacific Islander women through culturally adapted group prenatal care interventions. She joined UAMS as faculty in 2018 and holds a doctorate from the University of Arkansas.

Educations:

• PhD from the University of Arkansas

Research Interests: Dr. Ayers investigates preterm birth, gestational diabetes, breastfeeding outcomes, and prenatal care accessibility in Pacific Islander communities. Her approach integrates collectivistic cultural values to design effective group-based interventions like the Kōmmour Prenatal program, targeting health inequities in marginalized populations.

Awards:

• KL2 Mentored Research Career Development Award (supports maternal health equity research)

Advising & Grants: Her work is mentored by experts including Hari Eswaran (Obstetrics & Gynecology), Pearl McElfish (Pacific Islander Health), and Nicola Hawley (Epidemiology). She aims to secure external funding to advance her independent research on health disparities.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with UAMS' Center for Pacific Islanders and the Squid Array Reproductive Assessment Research Center, leveraging interdisciplinary networks to address reproductive health challenges.