Brittany Smalls, PhD, MHSA

Brittany L. Smalls, PhD, MHSA, is an Assistant Professor in the Center for Health Services Research and Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Kentucky. Before coming to CHSR, she was Senior Project Manager at Brigham and Women's Hospital's Center for Surgery and Public Health and a member of faculty at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Dr. Smalls' research interests include health disparities, global health, and social determinants of health within the confines of complex chronic illnesses. Her work has included the assessment of social determinants of health on type 2 diabetes health outcomes, specifically community and neighborhood characteristics. Currently, Dr. Smalls is redirecting her research to focus on the burden of complex chronic illness in the older population, the impact of social determinants, and the development of patient-centered interventions to alleviate identified burdens. Dr. Smalls has earned her Bachelor of Science in Anthropology from the College of Charleston, a Master's in Health Services Administration from Strayer University, and a doctorate in Health and Rehabilitation Science with a concentration in Health Services Research from the Medical University of South Carolina. Research Interests: Complex chronic disease; Social support; Social networks; Older adults; Social determinants of health Current Research Projects: Social Network Analysis and Social Support Intervention for Rural Dwelling Older Adults with T2DM