"A Fire in My Belly": The Health of Community Workers Who Support Women Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence.

Nonprofit community-based workers (CWs) provide vital support to women survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV), and they are repeatedly exposed to secondary trauma in their everyday work lives which may influence health and wellness. Guided by the salutogenesis model, this qualitative study explored 19 CWs' work experiences in relation to health and wellness in the Niagara Region, Canada. Five themes were generated using thematic analysis: (a) mental processing and alternations; (b) unmanageable structural challenges; (c) women empowering women; (d) unique ways of coping; and (e) recommendations for system improvements. Implications for intersectoral collaboration, health promotion, and chronic disease prevention are discussed to inform the development of tailored support strategies for CWs.