Health and Leisure

meanings of professional practice in the field of health for undergraduates in Physical Education and related courses

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to identify and analyze the meanings that students in undergraduate courses in Physical Education and related courses have regarding professional practice in the field of health and their understanding about leisure. Traditionally, the area of Physical Education and related courses has received strong influence from the natural sciences, and this tradition has influenced the performance of the professional in the health field. The problem with this often and exclusively biomedical orientation, is that professionals are faced with increased pressure to prescribe exercise and do not understand how to deal with people’s health covering aspects such as subjectivity, cultural issue, the health care. The methodological procedures used were bibliographic search and field research, from semi-structured interviews with undergraduate students of Physical Education and related courses, Brazilians and Americans, characterizing this study as qualitative. The results from this study indicate that undergraduate Physical Education students and related courses have some understanding of the purpose of their work related to quality of life, wellbeing, health and absence of disease. In addition, the majority of respondents understand leisure only from the rest, disregarding the possibilities of fun and personal and social development. We conclude, therefore, that the vision of respondents with respect to health and leisure was even initial, is fundamental to have an effective future professional activities access to reference both the biological sciences as the humanities.