Preventing leisure from being overlooked: Intersecting leisure and prevention sciences

Abstract

Leisure opportunities and experiences make powerful contributions to individual and community health by promoting positive and reducing negative health outcomes at individual, community, state, and national levels. Leisure researchers have long promoted the health benefits of parks and recreation, reflecting leisure’s role in public health. However, the idea that leisure can make a contribution to prevention has received less attention. Thus, we advocate incorporating a prevention science perspective to help researchers hone an agenda focused on leisure, health, and well-being across the lifespan. We review the evolution of leisure and prevention science as separate fields, identify where they intersect, and offer considerations for moving forward. We conclude by providing three main considerations for adopting prevention science approaches and promoting the context and experience of leisure, followed by six actionable recommendation steps to more effectively understand and promote health.

Keywords:

• Health and well-being
• interdisciplinary research
• prevention science