Impact of Fear of COVID-19, Burnout, and Social Support on Turnover Intention in Laboratory Professionals

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted healthcare workers, including laboratory professionals, leading to increased psychological stress, burnout, and turnover intention. This study explores the impact of fear of COVID-19 on turnover intention, with burnout as a mediator and social support as a moderator.Objective: To assess the effect of fear of COVID-19 on turnover intention in laboratory professionals, with burnout as a mediator and social support as a moderator.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2021 to June 2022, using a convenience sample of 300 laboratory professionals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Data were collected via an online questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS 25. Simple linear regression was used to evaluate associations, and mediation and moderation analyses were performed using PROCESS macro.Results: Fear of COVID-19 was significantly associated with turnover intention (β = 0.411, p < 0.001), with burnout partially mediating this relationship (β = 0.177, p = 0.003). Social support did not significantly moderate the relationship (p = 0.88).Conclusion: Fear of COVID-19 increases turnover intention in laboratory professionals, with burnout as a partial mediator. Targeted interventions to reduce fear and burnout are necessary to retain healthcare professionals during crises.