Leisure "either biomedical or salutogenic"

This paper would like to pose the question does leisure and health need to be defined from a bio-medical model or a health promotional model for it to be effective. Following on from the newly developed ANZALS special interest stream, "Leisure and Health" does defining leisure and health from different ends of the continuum assist or delineate from the professions within the leisure and health sector. Links between leisure and health have been discussed and debated for decades. Over two decades ago Wankel (1994) identified the issue of specialization and diversification within both leisure and health fields resulting in a weakening of linkages and collaborations between the sectors. Leisure, within a bio-medical health perspective, is viewed as a tool to assist those who are ill or injured to become well. Alternatively, those who align within a health promotion, salutogenic perspective of health recognize leisure as a core pre-requisite to supporting all citizens quality of life. This presentation will facilitate discussion around the theme and pose the questions below: Is leisure and health categorised as biomedical model or a health promotion model? What areas of industry does this classification occur? Are there exceptions to this categorisation?