Background and purpose: Health and wellbeing have a different meaning for an individual, institution, ethnicity and organization. The study aims to overview the ways waste pickers conceptualize health and wellbeing.

Methods: A qualitative procedure deployed to identify the predictors of health and wellbeing according to the waste pickers and how they perceive them. Forty waste pickers were involved as participants. Semi-structured in-depth interviews, natural group discussion (NGD) and casual conversation are the main methods for collecting information. The information was analysed using a thematic and inductive approach.

Results: The waste pickers identify health as free from diseases and illness, being able to work, a peaceful mind, positive relation within the family and social life, being grateful for life, surrender to God, and being happy. They relate wellbeing with gratefulness with achievements, sense of enough, being satisfied with life, submission to God, sense of “enough”, frugality and some assets back hometown.

Conclusion: The study concludes that waste pickers provide a practical understanding of health and wellbeing. It recommends that understanding and measuring health and wellbeing should on the context of the target population.

Crinson I, Martino L. Public Health Textbook [Internet]. Health Knowledge. 2017 [cited 2020 Jun 18]. Available from: Health concept is a debatable and unfinished definition

Bircher J. Scientific Contribution Towards a dynamic definition of health and disease. Med Heal Care Philos. 2005;8:335–341.

Huber M, Green L, Horst H van der, Jadad AR. How should we define health?. The BMJ. 2011;343.

Tov W. Well-Being Concepts and Components. Handb well-being. 2018;1-15.

Boehm JK, Kubzansky LD, Laura D. The heart’s content: The association between positive psychological well-being and cardiovascular health. Psychol Bull. 2012;138(4):655–691.

Diener E, Chan MY. Happy People Live Longer: Subjective Well-Being Contributes to Health and Longevity. Appl Psychol Heal Well-Being. 2011;3(1):1–43.

Krauts R, Zalta EN. Aristotle’s Ethics [Internet]. Standford University Encyclopedia. 2018 [cited 2020 Jun 10]. Available from: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle-ethics/

Gillett-swan JK, Sargeant J. Wellbeing as a Process of Accrual: Beyond Subjectivity and Beyond the Moment Citizenship, Well-Being and Sustainability: Epicurus or Aristotle ?∗. Soc Indic Res. 2014;121(1);135-148.

Medina M. The informal recycling sector in developing countries Organizing waste pickers to enhance their impacts. Gridlines. 2008;44.

WIEGO. Waste Pickers [Internet]. WIEGO. 2013 [cited 2019 Jun 10]. Available from: https://www.wiego.org/informal-economy/occupational-groups/waste-pickers

Paul JG, Arce-Jaque J, Ravena N, Villamor SP. Integration of the informal sector into municipal solid waste management in the Philippines - What does it need?. Waste Manag. 2012;32(11):2018–2028.

World Health Organization. What is the WHO definition of health? [Internet]. World Health Organization. 2020 [cited 2020 Jul 10]. Available from: https://www.who.int/about/who-we-are/frequently-asked-questions

Tendhar T, Boulmetis J. Inner-peace and physical health: Peace of mind and physical health among Rhode Island older adults (Thesis). University of Rhode Island; 2014.

Paukert AL, Kraus-Schuman C, Wilson N, Snow AL, Calleo J, Kunik ME, et al. Peaceful Mind: an open trial of cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety in persons with dementia. Int Psychogeriatrics. 2010;22(6):1012–1021.

Hopwood M, Robotin MC, Porwal M, Nguyen D, Sze M. A peaceful mind : Vietnamese- Australians with liver cancer Main findings : Information about liver cancer. The University of New South Wales. 2016. Australia.

Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention . Worker Productivity Measures [Internet]. Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention. 2016 [cited 2020 Jul 20]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/model/evaluation/productivity.html

Mitchell RJ, Bates P. Measuring health-related productivity loss. Popul Health Manag. 2011;14(2):93–98.

Sabatini F. The relationship between happiness and health: Evidence from Italy. Soc Sci Med. 2014;114:178–187.

Pierewan AC, Tampubolon G. Happiness and Health in Europe: A Multivariate Multilevel Model. Appl Res Qual Life. 2015;10:237–252.

Veenhoven R. Healthy happiness: Effects of happiness on physical health and the consequences for preventive health care. J Happiness Stud. 2007;9(3):449–469.

Sunarno I. Konsep Sehat Menurut Perspektif Budaya Jawa (Disertasi) [The Health Concept based on the Perspectives of Javanese Culture (Dissertation)]. Universitas Airlangga Surabaya; 2012.

Hidajat LL. Pemaknaan Sehat-Sakit pada Masyarakat Jawa dan Bali [The Meaning of Healthy and Sick among Javanese and Balinese] [Internet]. UGM; 2005. Available from: https://ugm.ac.id/id/berita/991-pemaknaan-sehat-sakit-pada-masyarakat-jawa-dan-bali

Hawton A, Green C, Dickens AP, Richards SH, Taylor RS, Edwards R, et al. The impact of social isolation on the health status and health-related quality of life of older people. Qual Life Res. 2011;20:56–57.

Grant N, Wardle J, Steptoe A. The Relationship Between Life Satisfaction and Health Behavior: A Cross-cultural Analysis of Young Adults. Int J Behav Med. 2009;16:259–268.

Walker RJ, Smalls BL, Campbell JA, Williams JLS, Egede LE. Impact of social determinants of health on outcomes for type 2 diabetes: a systematic review. Endocrine. 2014;47:29–48.

Nicklett EJ, Heisler MEM, Spencer MS, Rosland AM. Direct social support and long-term health among middle-aged and older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Journals Gerontol - Ser B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2013;68(6):933–943.

Umberson, Debra, Karas Montez J. Social Relationships and Health: A Flashpoint for Health Policy. J Health Soc Behav. 2010;51(1_suppl):S54–66.

Clements, Andrea D, Ermakova AV. Surrender to God and stress: A possible link between religiosity and health. Psychol Relig Spirituality. 2012;4(2):93–107.

Sansone RA, Sansone LA. Gratitude and well being: the benefits of appreciation. Psychiatry. 2010;7(11):18–22.

Sethul Hoeur. Happiness in the Poorest Communities: Subjective Well-Being Among Adolescent Waste Pickers in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. J Psychol Res. 2018;8(4):133–144.

Bouckaert L, Zsolnai L. Handbook of Spirituality and Business. New York: Plagrave Macmillan; 2011. p. 269–276.