Associated Factors of Burnout and Psycho-Physical Distress Among Private Security Personnel in Türkiye

This study aimed to examine the prevalence of excessive working hours, burnout, fatigue, and mental and sleep disorders among private security personnel in Turkey. It also assessed their quality of life and self-reported perceptions regarding remuneration.

We do agree with the reviewer and we have re-stated in that a cross-sectional survey was conducted using multistage cluster sampling method. Over 3,000 private security company /agency contacted sample of 4,475 private security workers and from those randomly selected only 3,846 participated and completed the survey (response rate: 85%). Univariate and multivariate stepwise regression analyses were performed.

Significant gender differences were found in educational attainment, income, smoking habits, working hours, shift rotation, work experience, and subcontracted employment. Somatic symptom severity, assessed via the Patient Health Questionnaire-15, was significantly associated with age, sex, education, occupation, smoking, working hours, shift patterns, experience, and subcontracting status. Depression prevalence was significantly higher among males, who also reported greater somatic symptomatology, anxiety, stress, and daytime sleepiness (all p ⩽ .031). Males showed higher scores of Burnout and related Emotional Exhaustion (EE), Depersonalization (DP), as well as lower Personal Accomplishment (PA; all p ⩽ .015). Burnout, EE, DP, and reduced PA were present in 28.5%, 35.8%, 52.3%, and 39.5% of all participants, respectively. EE and low PA were significantly associated with sleep disorders. Independent predictors of burnout included unexpected phone calls, workload, daily working hours, musculoskeletal pain, smoking, lower education, anxiety, and income (all p ⩽ .007), and were also linked to reduced self-esteem, pessimism, and fatigue (all p ⩽ .035), controlling for age and gender.

These findings underscore the psychosocial and occupational vulnerability of private security personnel, with burnout shaped by multiple work-related and demographic factors.