Social inequalities in health have been well documented in the literature. Despite the universal health care system and detailed measures of health surveillance, socioeconomic disparities related to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain present and are predicted to increase due to growing socioeconomic inequalities (Pampalon, 2008). Many health policy initiatives, such as the development of cardiac rehabilitation programs, were put in place in order to promote heart healthy lifestyles. These programs are provided as a medical and educational solution to prevent, manage, and lower risks of developing complications due to cardiovascular diseases, yet participation rates are as low as 37% for eligible individuals (Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, 2013). By drawing chiefly on Pierre Bourdieu’s sociocultural theory of practices, this qualitative study aims to understand the social variation of lifestyles in the context of cardiac rehabilitation of two groups of men from contrasting socioeconomic conditions. Sixty in-depth interviews were conducted with francophone men (mean age of 56.5) from the Outaouais region (Québec, Canada) who have suffered from a cardiac event requiring hospitalization. A number of studies on cardiovascular health have indicated health and lifestyle disparities among the male population. In order to provide a new perspective, this specific study drew principally on the notion of social capital in order to provide a more complete understanding of the social variation of lifestyles in the context of cardiac rehabilitation, particularly the impact these socioeconomic differences have on the quality of participants’ social capital, and how it shapes lifestyles after a heart intervention The results of this study are presented in an article which compares lifestyles and cardiac rehabilitation practices on the basis of three concepts of social capital, – social cohesion, trust, and social support. Results suggests that socioeconomic conditions influence levels of social cohesion, trust, and the quality of social support provided by social networks in the context of cardiac rehabilitation. Despite the underprivileged participant’s awareness of normative health lifestyles, they also were constrained by socio-cultural barriers, which limited a heart-healthy lifestyle.

The study is based on the lexical choices in the social context of EkeGusii circumcision and the meaning of the various lexical items used in the social context of circumcision and gender differentiation in the choice of the lexicon of EkeGusii circumcision. This special variety is also used within EkeGusii standard variety but when used in the context of circumcision, the meaning of the lexical items is understood based on context. It is believed that language embodies traditional values and that these values are socially conditioned. This study considers the social conditioning of the circumcision social varieties. Linguistic traditional values of EkeGusii language are reflected in, among others, gender differentiation in the choice of the lexicon in the social context of circumcision. The study was based on two theories; the social theory and contrastive lexico-semantic theory. Social theory was useful in analyzing language in society and what language means to its users while contrastive lexico-semantic theory was useful in analyzing EkeGusii culture-specific meaning which does not translate readily to English. Participatory observation, interview schedules, informers, questionnaires and introspection were used to collect data. Data was analyzed qualitatively in view of the choice of the lexicon within language variation. Findings showed that the sound plays an important role in postulating meaning of EkeGusii Circumcision Social Varieties (ECSV) through vowel lengthening. The lexicon of ECSV comprises nouns and verbs and that this lexicon is a style as well as register of EkeGusii. Gender differentiation in the language is a case of socialization rather than biological. Finally, meaning relations established by the lexicon of ECSV include synonymy, hyponymy, polysemy as well as antonymy. It is recommended in this study that teachers should be trained on Sociolinguistics, carry out classroom research to identify the learners’ sociolinguistic culture and integrate an individual learner with others in the same level especially since the school has taken the role of socialization of an individual. / African Languages / M.A. (African languages)