<b>Cluster Profiling of Stress and Coping Patterns among Nurses and Midwives: A Latent Class Analysis</b>

Background: Occupational stress and poor psychological wellbeing among nurses and midwives remain critical challenges, particularly in low- and middle-income countries such as Ghana. While prior studies have examined these issues using variable-centred approaches, few have explored the underlying subgroups of professionals based on their stress responses and coping behaviours. Objective: This study aimed to identify distinct latent classes of nurses and midwives in Ghana based on their patterns of occupational stress, coping strategies, and psychological wellbeing using a person-centred analytic approach. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 287 nurses and midwives working in four Catholic hospitals in Ghana. Standardised instruments were used to assess occupational stress, coping strategies, and psychological wellbeing. Latent class analysis (LCA) was employed to classify respondents into subgroups based on their psychological profiles. Associations between class membership and demographic variables were explored using chi-square tests. Results: Four distinct classes emerged: (1) high stress, low coping, low wellbeing (22%); (2) moderate stress, adaptive coping, average wellbeing (29%); (3) low stress, high coping, high wellbeing (31%); and (4) low stress, avoidant coping, low wellbeing (18%). Class membership was significantly associated with age, years of service, and professional category (p < .01). Younger and less experienced nurses were overrepresented in the most distressed class, while midwives with longer years of service were predominant in the most resilient group. Conclusion: The findings reveal meaningful heterogeneity in how nurses and midwives experience and manage stress. Person-centred approaches like LCA can uncover hidden subgroups that may benefit from tailored mental health interventions. The results underscore the importance of designing targeted support systems based on demographic and psychological profiles to enhance the wellbeing of healthcare workers in Ghana. Keywords: occupational stress, coping strategies, psychological wellbeing, nurses, midwives, Ghana, mental health, workforce resilience