Social Workers’ Experiences and Collaboration with Public Health Professionals in a Low-Income Country: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Social workers and public health professionals are expected to collaborate in promoting health and social equity to address the complex challenges faced by societies now and in the future. This collaboration is particularly crucial in low-income countries, where social and health issues significantly affect people’s wellbeing. This study explored social workers’ perceptions of their role in society, their collaboration with public health professionals, and the importance of sustainable development in their professional practice. An exploratory qualitative study was conducted between March and June 2024, involving semi-structured interviews with twelve professional social workers from the three main geographic regions of Mozambique (north, central, and south). Content analysis was used to identify and synthesize the key categories that emerged from the data. Four main categories were identified: limited public understanding of the mission and practice of social work; a lack of collaboration with public health professionals; the integration of sustainable development goals into social work practice; and anticipated future challenges for Mozambique’s social and public health sectors. The findings highlight a perceived lack of societal awareness regarding the role of social workers and limited interprofessional collaboration, with barriers such as poor communication and a lack of mutual understanding between the two professions. Moreover, the participants recognized the need to contribute, through their daily work alongside public health professionals, to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

1. Introduction

Social work (defined as a “practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people”) [1] and public health (defined as the “art and science of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through the organized efforts of society”) [2,3] share the same beginnings or the same basis [4].

These beginnings, according to Ruth and Marshall, relate to shared progressive roots, commitment to social justice, and a history of collaboration [4]. Also, social work and public health share complementary features such as intervention and prevention [4,5]. Furthermore, social workers and public health professionals need to collaborate in the area of community health (the collective wellbeing of community members) [5]. For instance, public health professionals engaged in community health are expected to identify how socio-economic status (SES) (e.g., income) impacts people (e.g., low SES leading to poverty, poor education, inadequate nutrition, and crime). Further, they need to be able to determine how a community’s educational and medical resources impact its residents’ (individuals’ and families’) lifestyles, as well as identifying their needs [6].

Likewise, working at the community level, social workers address the needs of individuals, families and groups, advocating for their clients when required, and “rally community members around social movements and issues like poverty and homelessness” [7]. Also, it is suggested that social workers’ work in communities involves understanding the dynamics and social relations of the relationship between structures and communities as a way to achieve social justice through structural change [8].

Social work and public health therefore share the work of prevention and intervention, as mentioned above. However, globally, including Africa [9,10], social workers usually work more closely with health care institutions, being called “medical social workers” who usually work at hospitals, mental health facilities and clinics [10] and primary health care facilities [11,12,13]. The collaboration between social work and public health professionals still presents challenges. Studies from some contexts including the USA report that although evidence exists of past and potential synergies between the two fields, social work’s foothold in public health is not yet fully established [4]. In Europe, social work is predominantly integrated in health care models [14,15,16,17] that respond to the needs of those with multimorbidity [14]. In Africa, compared with other parts of the world, the social work profession is new, and social services are still underutilized even in relation to aiding health services [10,18]; interprofessional collaboration with public health professionals just does not happen. Recently, Veta and McLaughlin identified key challenges to effective social work, education and practice across Africa [18]. These included a remedial or curative orientation, lack of regulation, the need for a proper coordinating body, the involvement of non-social work graduates in social work positions, and dependency on extrapolated curricula and Western methods [18].

1.1. Interprofessional Collaboration and Its Impact on Sustainable Development in the Global South

In the Global South, the integration of social work and public health is essential for addressing complex health and social challenges [19]. Research indicates that inter-professional collaboration (IPC) between social workers and public health professionals can strengthen service delivery, improve health outcomes, and foster community resilience [19]. However, persistent challenges such as resource constraints, differing professional cultures, and limited training in collaborative practices have hampered the development of effective IPC [20]. Although empirical studies examining the relationship between social workers and public health professionals in African countries remain limited, evidence from other regions of the Global South has identified significant barriers to IPC. For example, Petruzzi et al. [21] investigated collaboration between community health workers (CHWs) and social workers (SWs) in low-income contexts and emphasized the importance of role clarification, shared goals, and integrated training. Their findings highlighted that, although collaboration between CHWs and SWs is crucial for illness prevention and intervention, the two groups often worked in silos, resulting in missed opportunities for cross-sector alignment.

A broader review of interprofessional collaboration (IPC) between social workers and health professionals revealed several interrelated factors that hinder effective cooperation. These include professional silos, in which practitioners tend to prioritize their own goals and practices; cultural differences, with each profession adhering to distinct values and norms that may cause friction; inadequate communication, leading to misunderstandings, frustration, and weakened collaboration; resource constraints, such as limited funding, staffing, and time; a lack of supportive leadership, compounded by weak institutional commitment, which often undermines IPC initiatives; and unequal power dynamics, where imbalances in status and authority disrupt collaborative processes [19]. Moncatar et al. [22] explored IPC among health and social workers caring for older adults in the Philippines and found that collaboration was largely limited to ad hoc communication that focused primarily on administrative concerns. Barriers to effective collaboration included conflicting personal values, organizational constraints, and a siloed culture of care. Similarly, El-Awaisi et al. [23] examined health care professionals’ perspectives on IPC in primary health care centers in the Middle East and identified both facilitators and barriers related to organizational culture, communication, and training. In China, Luo and Chen [24] conducted a qualitative study of multi-professional health care teams and reported ongoing challenges linked to role ambiguity and the need for continuous professional development to strengthen collaborative practices.

The interdependent nature of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) further underscores the importance of IPC within public health [5]. Intersectoral collaboration is recognized as a key strategy for advancing the SDGs, particularly in low-income countries where resources are constrained and challenges are complex [25,26]. Within this framework, collaboration between social workers and public health professionals is especially significant, as it directly strengthens public health practice while simultaneously advancing the global development agenda. For example, by integrating social and health perspectives, interprofessional collaboration (IPC) strengthens the capacity of public health systems to address the social determinants of health, thereby advancing Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being [5]. Social workers contribute expertise in addressing poverty, housing insecurity, domestic violence, and other structural barriers to health, while public health professionals focus on disease prevention and health promotion [5]. Together, they create more holistic, equity-oriented strategies that improve health outcomes, reduce preventable illnesses, and build resilient communities. In addition, IPC also reinforces public health’s contribution to SDG 5: Gender Equality, particularly through interventions addressing gender-based violence, maternal and reproductive health, and women’s unequal access to health resources [5,27]. Collaborative practices between social workers and public health practitioners ensure that women and girls receive both the social support and the health services they need, thereby reducing gender disparities in health outcomes and promoting gender-sensitive public health strategies. In addition, IPC strengthens efforts toward SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities by enabling public health systems to reach marginalized and underserved populations. Social workers’ close engagement with vulnerable groups complements public health’s mandate to deliver universal health coverage, ensuring that services are not only medically effective but also socially inclusive and culturally responsive. This integrated approach reduces health inequities and supports the broader aim of social justice within public health systems [5,28]. Framed in this way, interprofessional collaboration is not an ancillary activity but a core mechanism through which public health and social work can fulfill their mandate in line with the SDGs. As scholars have noted, achieving sustainable development requires transcending professional silos and adopting collaborative approaches that recognize the interconnectedness of health and social wellbeing [5,25,29].

1.2. An Overview of the Social Work Landscape in Mozambique

Mozambique, located in southeastern Africa, is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east and shares land borders with Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Eswatini [19]. With a population of approximately 33 million [30], Mozambique is one of the least developed countries in the world. The nation faces significant challenges, including widespread poverty, with nearly 60% of the population living below the poverty line [31]. Rural areas are particularly affected, where access to education, health care, and economic opportunities is limited [32]. The country’s geographic diversity—from a long coastline with rich marine resources to inland regions of mountains and savannahs—presents both challenges and opportunities for development. While the country continues to face social and economic obstacles, its youthful population and growing sectors like tourism and natural resource extraction offer potential for future growth [31]. Despite its natural resources, including vast coastal ecosystems and recently discovered natural gas reserves, Mozambique ranks low in global development indices [32]. The country is currently positioned near the bottom of the Human Development Index (HDI), reflecting poor scores in education, income, and life expectancy [32]. Life expectancy stands at around 60 years, influenced by factors such as inadequate health care infrastructure, infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, and malnutrition [33]. Furthermore, in terms of health, Mozambique struggles with a high burden of communicable diseases, although efforts have been made to improve health care access and reduce child mortality [34]. The country also faces considerable challenges in sanitation and clean water access, contributing to health disparities [35]. Nevertheless, in recent years the country has made some progress in reducing HIV prevalence as well as increasing access to basic health services [36]. Although Mozambique’s national development strategies emphasize inclusive social protection and youth empowerment [37], effective implementation is hindered by weak institutional capacity, inequitable resource allocation, and insufficient integration across sectors [38]. Overall, social work emerged in response to the needs caused by the civil war and the HIV/AIDS pandemic that ravaged the country, which left many children orphaned, whose consequences had and still have a devastating impact on society [39,40]. The current social work practice operates within a context of chronic poverty, limited formal infrastructure, and recurring humanitarian crises [38,41,42]. Despite recent policy efforts, formal social services remain under-resourced and fragmented [38,41,42]. The country’s social protection system—led by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Action (MGCAS) through the National Institute for Social Action (INAS)—includes programs such as the Basic Social Subsidy (PSSB) and Direct Social Support (PASD), but these reach less than 20% of poor households [38,41,42]. The professional social workforce is extremely limited, leading to reliance on paraprofessionals, including community care workers and community health workers (Agentes Polivalentes Elementares, APEs) [43,44]. These frontline workers often face challenges such as limited supervision, role confusion, and inadequate training, especially in conflict-affected provinces [43,44]. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) play a critical role in filling service gaps, particularly in areas such as gender-based violence (GBV) prevention, child protection, and mental health psychosocial support [45]. Community-based approaches, including legal empowerment initiatives and trauma-informed care for internally displaced populations, have become essential to service delivery in northern provinces affected by armed conflict [44,46]. Globally—including in Mozambique—social workers must collaborate with professionals from other disciplines and industries to tackle the complex challenges that societies face today [47]. Only through such collaboration can clients benefit from a wider range of support and gain access to more resources. Furthermore, interprofessional collaboration has been shown to foster shared responsibility and pool knowledge, enabling social workers to better navigate barriers and accomplish their work effectively. Within collaborative teams, social workers contribute unique insights [5]. Their skills allow them to perceive aspects of individuals’ circumstances that may not be immediately apparent to others. Through their work, social workers gain a comprehensive perspective on how individuals fit into and are affected by broader systems. They are also equipped to provide a person-centered approach that involves meeting people where they are, within the context of their specific situations [4,5,48,49,50]. One important ally for social workers is the field of public health. There is growing academic interest in how these two professions can collaborate to enhance population health and wellbeing. This partnership focuses on addressing the social determinants of health and their influence on health outcomes, particularly within the broader context of sustainable development [4,5,48,49,50]. As previously mentioned, in Mozambique there is still a lack of clarity regarding the role played by social workers in society—particularly as much of the social work practice is still carried out by paraprofessionals. This includes how society perceives the profession, as well as which interprofessional partnerships might be beneficial in fulfilling their role—especially in relation to public health professionals. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate social workers’ perceptions of their role in Mozambican society, their collaboration with public health counterparts, and the importance of sustainable development in their professional practice. The following questions were addressed: (a) What are social workers’ perceptions of their role in society? (b) How do social workers perceive their collaboration with public health professionals? (c) What challenges do social workers identify that the country will need to address in the future?

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Study Design and Sample

This study used a descriptive and exploratory qualitative research design [51,52] and was carried out between March and June 2024. Data were gathered from a purposive sample of twelve qualified social workers working in different types of organizations (educational institutions, the community, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)) in Mozambique working across the country’s three regions (North, Central and South). The characteristics of the sample are summarized in

Table 1. Characteristics of the participants included in the sample.

	N = 12
Sex
Female	6
Male	6
Age (years)
<29	3
30–39	9
Formal education (highest level completed)
Primary education or similar	0
Secondary education or similar	0
University education or similar	12
Social work degree	10
Psychology degree	2
Years of experience
Average years of experience working as a social worker	4.5 years (range 1–13 years)

.

2.2. Data Collection

A thematic, semi-structured interview guide was used, with topics related to the participants’ current work, society’s view of social workers, interprofessional collaboration and communication with public health professionals, and the role of sustainable development in social work and public health, as well as future challenges for social and public health workers in Mozambique (

Table 2. Examples of topics discussed in the interview.

1. What is your current work?

2. In Mozambique, how are social workers generally perceived outside of their workplace?

3. Have you had any experiences that did not go down well with a public health worker? What were these experiences?

4. In your workplace, do you see any barriers to effective collaboration between social and public health workers?

5. Have you had any interprofessional training with public health workers? If so, what kind of training?

6. What is the most common way of communicating with public health workers? Do you think this method is effective?

7. In your current workplace, are you involved with sustainable development issues (that are related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda)?

8. In your opinion, what are the most important problems (challenges) that social and public health workers will face in the future in Mozambique?

). The interview guide was piloted with two participants to guarantee the validity of the questions regarding the aim of the study and to make minor adjustments. The pilot interviews were included in the study. Data collection was conducted by the first and second authors.

2.3. Data Analysis

The transcripts of the in-depth, semi-structured interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis, following the approach outlined by Graneheim and Lundman [53]. This method involves several key steps: identifying meaning units within the data, condensing these units, coding them, developing categories from the codes, and establishing interpretive connections between the categories. In this study, the complete interview transcript was treated as the unit of analysis, in line with the recommendations of Graneheim and Lundman [53], with attention focused primarily on the manifest content. The transcribed data were read multiple times to ensure immersion and facilitate understanding. Meaning units that reflected central ideas were highlighted, labeled with headings, and linked to codes generated during the initial stage of analysis. The entire text was systematically coded to capture various aspects of the material relevant to the study’s objectives. Codes sharing similar characteristics were grouped into broader categories to form coherent clusters. The initial analysis was conducted by G.M. and J.M., in consultation with the other authors. Throughout the process of categorization and abstraction, the researchers repeatedly compared categories for similarities and differences, creating a hierarchical structure of codes and categories, which was further reviewed and discussed by all authors. All analyses were performed manually.

2.4. Ethical Considerations

The interviews were carried out via Zoom following verbal consent from the participants. The interview data were securely kept, ensuring participant anonymity throughout the process. The participants were assured of the opportunity to withdraw from the study at any time during the interview. Furthermore, ahead of each interview, participants were informed of the study objectives and assured of anonymity and confidentiality of their answers in accordance with the bioethical principles of the Helsinki Declaration [54]. In addition, the interview questions did not ask about the participants’ own health and wellbeing, only about their work experience as social workers, as well as experiences of collaboration with public health professionals in their daily work. The study was carried out as part of a larger study approved by the Bioethics National Committee of the Mozambican Ministry of Health (IRB00002657, Registry 101\CNBS\2022).

3. Results

The twelve participants had an age range of 28–38 years. Six were male, and six were female, and most worked for the government (educational institution or social service agency) or an NGOs. The study’s findings are summarized in four categories that capture the participants’ perceptions: (1) Society’s limited knowledge of social workers’ mission and practice; (2) Lack of collaboration with public health professionals; (3) Social work practice and collaboration in the context of sustainable development and (4) Future challenges for social and public health workers. On average the participants had worked in social care for 4.5 years, with a range of 1–13 years. Furthermore, the participants’ work experience ranged from training other social workers to working for the government or NGOs and working with vulnerable children or children with HIV/AIDS, as well as with poverty reduction and community organization.

3.1. Society’s Limited Knowledge of Social Workers’ Mission and Practice

Many participants expressed that there was a lack of knowledge in communities, and in society in general, of social workers’ mission and the character of the work they perform. Also, the interviewees talked about the reality that, currently, there are a substantial number of people practicing social work with no appropriate training in the field.

Hmm … first of all, society has no knowledge about what a social worker is … Many believe that, to be a social worker, it is enough to have a good heart, and that there is no need to have a formal education (in the field) … Currently, most people working in social care have no formal education in the subject. (Participant 6)

One participant explained,

My view is that there is a diversified perception of the social work profession in the country. Some people see social workers as people who have money to give, and not professionals who work with community development. But others see social workers as people who work a lot for the love of their profession, as suggested in the local saying “trabalhar por amor a camisola” [work for its own reward]. (Participant 3)

3.2. Lack of Collaboration with Public Health Professionals

Many participants expressed that they had never yet collaborated directly with public health professionals outside hospital/clinical settings. Furthermore, there were few who had participated in interprofessional training with their public health counterparts.

One interviewee said,

It is difficult because there is no good understanding of the social work profession and practice among other professionals as the area is still marginalized in this country. This makes it difficult to collaborate with other sectors and professions including those in public health. (Participant 4)

Another participant mentioned that public health professionals worked only in prevention.

Yes, I have not had much contact or collaboration with public health professionals because they work mostly with prevention. But because of social workers’ type of work, we end up working in the same communities. I work for an NGO, and we work mostly with communities to address social issues and have not had contact with public health workers in the same areas. (Participant 5)

A few participants had experience of collaboration with public health professionals in community settings in the areas of health education and nutrition.

On this issue, one participant explained:

Yes, I have worked with public health professionals and together we advised families in the communities to refer their children to health care services to get tested for malaria; but we also worked together to provide education related to chronic malnutrition (for example, addressing cultural barriers that affect child nutrition in many families). In 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic we organized a series of health education meetings to distribute masks to people as well as educate them to get financial stability and psychological resilience. (Participant 1)

3.3. Social Work Practice and Collaboration in the Context of Sustainable Development

All participants expressed the opinion that social workers and public health professionals should work with sustainable development in their daily work. The majority saw education of children, water and sanitation, infectious diseases, poverty reduction and community empowerment as central issues for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Yes, I think that social work professionals need to work with other professions (including public health) to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in health and education. Social workers intervene in children’s education to promote social policies which the country implements; and I see that as very important for sustainable development. (Participant 6)

One participant explained,

As my workplace is a public institution, we follow the government guidelines, including those related to sustainable development (for example … work with the poor; education). But we do not yet include sustainable development in the curriculum to educate future social workers. (Participant 11)

Another interviewee said,

Hm …; yes. In an indirect way, because we have no explicit directives on how to work with sustainable development, we make people aware of the importance to educate children (especially orphaned children, who lost their parents and family); as well as the importance of families to officially register their children after birth. This is a problem since many parents are not officially registered themselves. (Participant 12)

The interviewees also talked about their work with sustainable development regarding diseases: “As NGO workers, we work with the adherence and retention of children to HIV/AIDS treatment which will improve their health and wellbeing; and also, we educate families to reduce the risk of infectious diseases in the community.” (Participant 10)

3.4. Future Challenges for Social and Public Health Workers

The participants identified several future challenges that social and public health workers will need to address. These included: endemic diseases; cultural barriers to treatment; hygiene and sanitation; orphaned children; people with disabilities, and elderly abandonment; education; poverty; and violence.

On the topic of cultural barriers, one participant said,

… [The] first is how to change communities’ cultural thinking to address health-related problems, especially preventive education (for example, take infectious diseases like conjunctivitis). Many in the community don’t believe that some of these diseases exist and at times they don’t believe in the health education provided by social workers/public health professionals. This is especially regarding social assistance, medication, etc. … (Participant 9)

Regarding the most important challenges, another participant explained,

In my opinion, the main challenge is to educate people on the need to include social workers in health teams across communities; social workers need acceptance in society to practice the profession. Implementation of social care and services at the national level will be important. Public health workers will also need to see social workers as partners, especially in preventive medicine which will continue to be important in the future in Mozambique. (Participant 8)

Another social worker stated,

I see malaria and cholera as diseases that will continue to affect the whole country in the future. Hygiene and sanitation need to be improved … and the outbreaks related to conflicts in some places in the country will need to be addressed. Also, lack of water can impede hygiene in families, especially families with children … This is a big challenge for social and public health workers. (Participant 2)

Other challenges the two professions could experience included “violence (women and men), orphaned children, appropriate transportation for disabled people, and the social situation of abandoned elderly” (Participant 7).

4. Discussion

The findings of this study revealed a general lack of understanding and awareness within Mozambican society about the role of social workers. Participants also reported limited interprofessional collaboration between social workers and public health professionals. Several barriers to collaboration were identified, including poor communication and limited knowledge of each other’s professional roles. At the same time, the study found unanimous agreement among participants on the importance of working together to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. They also acknowledged the multiple future challenges facing both social workers and public health professionals.

Regarding the lack of understanding, in society and in the communities, of the work social workers do, some studies have suggested that health care professionals and the general public are confused about the role of social workers in hospital settings [55,56]. To understand this complexity, a study from Tanzania that looked at potential challenges to integration of social work into medical practice found that 100% of health care professionals expressed a positive attitude regarding social workers and recommended that more of these professionals be employed [55,56]. The same study revealed that most participants—61%, were unaware of the functions and roles social workers perform in hospitals, while almost 81% did not know in which situations social workers’ intervention might be required [55]. In addition, a South African study by Schiller [56] found that social workers across the country faced a range of challenges, including inadequate facilities and complex bureaucratic processes. Schiller further noted that both the government and the wider public had yet to fully recognize the role that social workers play in medical settings [56]. These results are in line with statements by the participants in this study reporting a lack of understanding in society about their roles, also mentioning that in many instances, social work (in the health system, hospitals and communities) was being carried out by people with no formal education or training in social work. Our participants also talked about the lack of interprofessional collaboration with public health professionals in responding to societal problems in need of joint action by the two professions. Some participants described a lack of understanding of each other’s roles; in some instances, they felt that public health professionals worked at a greater distance from communities, while they felt that social workers had a much closer and more direct relationship with the communities. Similarly, another study [57] indicated that social workers reported experiencing conflicting role expectations, as they perceived that other team members seemed to not understand their role; they also perceived a lack of appreciation of their accomplishments within these working teams [57].

A Nigerian study investigating the perceived challenges of medical social workers in a public health facility found that social workers experienced challenges such as prejudice, discrimination and structural conflicts in a public health facility [58]. They experienced a lack of recognition of their role by the public health professionals, which in turn hampered any collaboration between them [58]. According to Dako-Gyeke and colleagues [10], many health practitioners in Africa do not recognize the importance of the work social professionals bring to health care institutions, and even when such institutions recognize the need for their work, the collaboration is very limited [10]. Examples have been reported where in many African countries during COVID-19, the role of social workers in addressing the pandemic was ignored. The United Nations reported concerns that this could affect the COVID-19 program and that the policy response in health care settings could impact the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 [59].

Peretz and colleagues argued that hospital social workers had to be able to address the social and psychological issues, including depression and anxiety, as well as other health issues, that had emerged during the pandemic [60]. Overall, as already mentioned above, IPC between social workers and public health/health professionals in the Global South has been challenging especially due to barriers such as professional silos, differences in professional cultures, lack of strong leadership supporting collaborations and poor communication leading to misunderstandings [19,20,22]. We can report that a few of our participants had contact and sporadic collaboration with public health professionals, especially in areas of prevention, and specifically to address issues such as poverty, malnutrition, hygiene and sanitation among malnourished children, orphaned children, and children on HIV/AIDS treatment. However, those who worked with health care workers in hospitals and other clinical settings talked about the difficulties of working with the other professionals. For instance, in a scoping review that examined evidence regarding the epistemic contribution of social workers to team-based work it was found that across the literature there was uncertainty as well as a lack of fluidity on the nature of the role (in terms of knowledge and skills) of social work within multidisciplinary teams. This both enabled and hindered the mobilization of knowledge [61]. Furthermore, the authors observed that in the literature, social workers found it challenging to clearly articulate their competencies, role, and contribution [61,62,63].

The participants believed that social workers and public health professionals need to work with sustainable development issues in their practice. They pointed out many community and societal needs such as reduction in poverty across families, especially those living below the poverty line; improvement of education, especially among children; and issues related to hygiene and sanitation for families and their children.

The interviewees also talked about the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3) (Health for all at all ages), which was especially concerned with the improvement of the health and wellbeing of children with HIV/AIDS, a vulnerable group often experiencing challenges related to treatment compliance. Some argued that, in their work, social workers are capacitated to collaborate with organizations and communities in advocacy for environmental justice and sustainability to address important aspects such as biodiversity conservation, waste management, and renewable energy, which are related to goals of clean water and sanitation, affordable green energy, and life on land [28,29,64]. The abovementioned areas are also central to the work of public health professionals, who are expected to work with communities (and societies as a whole) to achieve healthy and sustainable societies. Naranjo argued that the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals constitute a new framework for social workers to redefine their role to have a greater impact on people’s human rights and empowerment, socioeconomic development, and the environment [29].

For instance, it is argued that health inequalities are largely determined by social factors. Poverty and poor health are prevalent among social work service users, rendering health inequalities a crucial concern for social workers across all practice settings [28,65]. Furthermore, as already mentioned above, social workers can play a crucial role in promoting sustainable development through interprofessional collaboration (IPC), contributing to the achievement of all the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goals 3, 5, and 10 [66,67]. In relation to Goal 3, social workers can provide referral services, assessments, and counseling focused on health promotion within clinical and multidisciplinary settings. Approaches such as family casework, family counseling, crisis intervention, legal aid, and family enrichment programs can be utilized to support distressed families. In terms of rehabilitation, social workers assist clients through social, psychological, or vocational rehabilitation processes. They facilitate health care programs, including preventative initiatives, and strive to improve quality of life in ways that are accessible to all patients and community members. By addressing the primary causes of mental illnesses and other health conditions, social workers contribute to effective community-based rehabilitation [67].

With respect to Goal 5, social workers provide psychological, social, and emotional support to survivors of domestic violence. Core social work methods—such as social casework, group work, community organization, ancillary administrative practices, social research, and social action—play a key role in promoting gender equality and advancing women’s empowerment [66]. Through gender mainstreaming, professional social workers can develop strategies that lead to meaningful empowerment and the realization of gender equality. Moreover, concerning Goal 10, social workers advocate social and economic justice within the social welfare system, ensuring that essential resources are available to vulnerable populations, including children, older adults, people with disabilities, and those living in poverty [67].

The interviewees in this study also identified what they perceived to be the country’s future challenges, both for themselves as social workers and for public health professionals. These challenges included endemic diseases (e.g., malaria), infectious diseases, cultural barriers to treatment of diseases (e.g., HIV/AIDS), hygiene and sanitation, people with disability, care of orphaned children, education, poverty, and violence. Some talked about another important challenge for the future, which was achievement of full recognition by government and society of the role played by trained social workers, which had not yet been fully acknowledged. Many of the future challenges perceived by the participants are included, at least in part, in recent lists of global challenges expected on the African continent. For instance, following discussions with public health practitioners and researchers, Lucero-Prisno III et al. [68] listed ten public health challenges and priority areas to be addressed, namely, substance abuse, malnutrition and food insecurity, the climate crisis, cancer, diabetes, infectious diseases, environmental pollution, health systems, the mental health crisis, and sexual and reproductive health challenges.

Future challenges expected in countries are a concern globally and in recent years have been at the heart of discussions on how social work and public health professionals and their disciplines should collaborate for a common purpose. It has been argued that one way the two professions can confront future challenges will be through the profession of “public health work social work (PHSW),” which is considered to be a perfect bridge between the professions of public health and social work [4,5]. Characterized by a multifaceted perspective, this sub-discipline of social work is expected to address future social and health challenges as well as promote social health equity and offer mitigation for health problems [4,5,69,70].

It is argued that PHSW is the perfect connection to the interprofessional and cross-sectoral collaboration needed to address the complex health challenges of the 21st century as it builds on the synthesis between public health and social work [4,5]. Cootes et al. [61] report that from its inception, the social work profession has somewhat evolved in tandem with its public health counterpart; along the way, this has contributed to public health efforts to protect, promote, and restore public health principles. According to Cootes et al., [61] in Western countries the prominent role of social work is in hospital settings. And similar to Western countries, our results found that although there is not much collaboration with public health professionals, the few social workers who had experienced some type of collaboration with health care professionals had experienced this in clinical settings.

4.1. Practical and Policy Implications of Inter-Professional Collaboration Between Social Workers and Public Health Professionals

The findings of this study underscore the need for stronger inter-professional collaboration between social workers and public health professionals to advance sustainable development in Mozambique. A key practical implication is improving role clarity and mutual understanding, as limited knowledge of social workers’ functions hinders effective teamwork. Structured orientation programs, cross-training, and joint workshops could enhance collaboration, while formal multidisciplinary teams, shared case management, and regular meetings would support coordinated responses to community needs such as HIV/AIDS care, malnutrition, hygiene, and education. Social workers’ close connection to communities positions them to complement public health interventions and strengthen SDG-focused initiatives, including health, education, and sanitation. Capacity-building efforts that enhance advocacy, communication, and technical skills are also essential to maximize social workers’ contributions within multidisciplinary teams. Furthermore, from a policy perspective, formal recognition of social work in public health systems is critical. Institutionalizing social workers in community health teams and promoting Public Health Social Work (PHSW) as a bridging discipline [5] can facilitate sustainable collaboration, address systemic barriers, and provide a framework for joint contributions to health and social development goals. The government and agencies can further support collaboration by incentivizing partnerships, ensuring shared accountability in SDG-aligned programs, and allocating resources for training, team-based initiatives, and community projects. Strengthening practical collaboration and policy frameworks in these ways can empower social workers and public health professionals to address complex societal challenges effectively and contribute meaningfully to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals [5].

4.2. Strengths and Limitations

This study is the first of its kind to address the experiences and perceptions of social workers and their interactions with public health professionals in Mozambique. In addition, the purposive sample included social workers employed in a range of organizations across the main geographic regions of the country. However, the study is not without its limitations. The sample of interviewees was small, meaning that the results cannot be generalized to the entire population of Mozambican social workers. Although the study attempted to purposively include respondents from the north, central, and southern regions, most participants worked in the South. Nevertheless, data saturation was achieved across the interviewed respondents. In terms of methodological considerations, trustworthiness was ensured by addressing the aspects of credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability, as recommended by Lincoln and Guba [71]. To establish credibility, the sample was selected purposively, with the aim of including a variety of workplaces as well as differing lengths of professional experience within the country. Furthermore, to ensure data stability—or dependability—all participants were asked the same questions using a thematic interview guide. Transferability was achieved through a clear description of the data collection procedure, the sample, and the interpretation process. Therefore, the reported findings can be considered to provide credible insight into how members of this important profession perceive their role in society, as well as how they collaborate with their public health counterparts.

5. Conclusions

This study found that the interviewed social workers perceived a general lack of understanding and awareness within society about the role played by social workers in Mozambique. Furthermore, they identified a lack of interprofessional collaboration between social workers and their public health counterparts, which was attributed to various barriers, including poor communication and limited understanding of each other’s professional roles. Moreover, the participants recognized the need to contribute, through their daily work alongside public health professionals, to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Further research with a larger sample is required to better understand the conditions under which Mozambican social workers practice their profession and how interprofessional collaboration occurs with public health professionals, clinicians, and other health care workers to address current and future health and social challenges—particularly the promotion of social and health equity.