The mediating role of psychosocial work environment factors in the relationship between shift work, work ability, and quality of life among hospital security personnel

Hospital security personnel, vital for safety, are frequently exposed to shift work, a known occupational stressor. However, the underlying mechanisms linking shift work to their health and occupational outcomes remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of psychosocial work environment factors in the relationship between shift work, work ability, and quality of life among hospital security personnel. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study utilizing a sample of 147 security personnel. Data were collected using the WHOQOL-BREF, COPSOQ, and Work Ability Index questionnaires. The conceptual model, which posits that psychosocial Burden mediates the shift work–health outcomes link, was tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling. The results of PLS‑SEM analysis confirmed the hypothesized mediation model, with shift work showing a significant indirect effect on work ability and quality of life through increased psychosocial burden. The model accounted for 64% of the variance in work ability and 34% in psychosocial burden. Descriptive comparisons revealed that the 24‑hour shift schedule was associated with the poorest outcomes, exhibiting significantly lower quality of life scores and higher psychosocial burden scores across multiple domains. The findings suggest that the negative association between shift work and both work ability and quality of life among hospital security personnel is statistically mediated by increased psychosocial burden. This highlights the need for hospital administrators to prioritize social support-based interventions and improvements in work organization to safeguard the psychological and social health of security personnel, thereby ensuring the quality and safety of hospital services.