Latent Profile Analysis of Korean Firefighters' Perceptions of Disaster Scene Treatment: Focusing on Eight Profiles

Abstract

This study explored Korean firefighters' perceptions of disaster scene treatment using latent profile analysis to identify distinct typologies and inform targeted policy interventions. We measured five dimensions of treatment perception—compensation satisfaction, welfare satisfaction, safety equipment satisfaction, education and training satisfaction, and working environment satisfaction—among 314 firefighters in G –city of Korea. As a result of using R's tidyLPA package, our analysis revealed eight distinct profiles with excellent classification accuracy (Entropy = 0.958): Extremely Dissatisfied (12.4%), Compensation-Focused Dissatisfied (14.3%), Welfare and Education Dissatisfied (12.1%), Safety Equipment-Focused Dissatisfied (15.0%), Work Environment-Focused Dissatisfied (13.4%), Partially Satisfied (13.1%), Highly Satisfied (11.5%), and Extremely Satisfied (8.3%). Three key findings emerged. First, dissatisfied groups comprised 67.2% of participants, highlighting urgent need for treatment improvements. Second, the Safety Equipment-Focused Dissatisfied group represented the largest proportion (15.0%), identifying safety equipment enhancement as the top priority. Third, each profile demonstrated unique improvement needs, underscoring the necessity for customized rather than uniform policies.