Policy mapping for sustainability: understanding temporal patterns in the consideration of health and well-being in Indonesia’s legislation

Abstract Health and well-being are fundamental to sustainable development and central to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as they entail coordinated, cross-sectoral policies that systematically and effectively integrate these considerations. This study applies a novel quantitative policy mapping method to Indonesia’s legislation from 1945 to 2024, examining how health and well-being have evolved in the policy discourse amid shifting socio-political contexts. The findings indicate that while few policy documents are specifically dedicated to health and none to well-being, these considerations are consistently embedded across legislation within the national policies. The analysis reveals a partial, often reactive alignment with the SDGs and Health in All Policies. Indonesia’s 2023 Health Law represents a notable step toward prioritizing health, yet gaps remain in strategic planning and implementation. This paper advances policy mapping methodologies and contributes to discussions on integrated, data-driven policy frameworks to support equitable and sustainable public health outcomes.