The invisible frontiers: Mental health and turnover intention among Egyptian social workers

Abstract

Research on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social workers is limited, especially from low-income countries. Hence, this study examined the effect of this international health crisis on the mental health of 261 social workers in health care settings in Egypt. Generalized anxiety and stress generated by fear of COVID-19 directly influenced social workers’ intention to leave their current job. The findings show the vulnerability of social workers employed in health care settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their mental well-being is less than optimal, which might contribute to a high turnover rate.