Occupational health challenges among university security personnel in a low-resource setting: a qualitative exploratory study

Introduction University security personnel in low-resource settings are among the most occupationally vulnerable non-academic staff yet they remain largely absent from occupational health research. This study investigated how university security officers in Ghana perceive and navigate occupational health challenges associated with burnout and shift-related stress. Methods A qualitative exploratory study rooted in interpretive phenomenology was conducted between July and August 2025 at a public university in southern Ghana. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 purposively selected security personnel with at least 5 years of service. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis approach. Results Five themes emerged: (I) occupational workload and burnout driven by chronic understaffing; (II) perceptual burden and emotional strain from disrespectful student interactions; (III) night duty as a significant stressor through disrupted sleep and environmental hazards; (IV) improvised individual and social coping strategies; and (V) inadequate institutional support and structural resource gaps as predictors of sustained stress and burnout. Conclusion Burnout and occupational stress among university security personnel in low-resource settings reflect institutional and systemic failures rather than individual shortcomings. Sustainable improvements require adequate staffing, psychosocial support, gender-responsive scheduling and improved infrastructure. Future research should employ longitudinal and multisite designs to capture temporal and contextual variation.