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This article analyzes the relationships between the material conditions and the subjective well-being of 3,716 children (50.5% girls) between 10 and 12 years of age (M = 11.4) in Chile and Brazil. These are the two Latin American countries that took part in the third wave of the Children’s Worlds research. The material conditions of the children were assessed using latent classes. A multivariate analysis of covariance was done next in order to test the influence of material conditions over the children's subjective well-being and interpersonal relationships. The association between gender and country variables of the children was also studied. The results showed that although the average subjective well-being scores of the children were high in general, the class analysis showed significant differences between the results for children with better material conditions than those with poorer material conditions. The latter group presented lower subjective well-being levels. MANCOVA was used to analyze the mean differences in subjective well-being levels and interpersonal relationships controlling variables of gender and country of residence. This showed that children with greater access to better material conditions showed significantly higher levels of subjective well-being levels and had a more positive view of their interpersonal relationships in all areas assessed compared to those who reported worse material conditions. These results are discussed in view of the high indices of material deprivation that exist in Latin America during childhood as well as how these findings may help better understand the well-being of children living in Latin American countries.

Данная статья представляет собой попытку сбора и систематизации информации о материальных условиях жизни во Франкском государстве Меровингов в VI столетии. Выбор темы обусловлен необходимостью составления цельной картины быта человека начала раннего средневековья, которая до настоящего времени остается мало исследованной, в отличие от каролингского периода. В качестве источников использованы сочинения Григория Турского, Венанция Фортуната, Сидония Аполлинария, «Хроники» Фредегара, «Книга истории франков» и другие. В статье собраны данные о болезнях и эпидемиях, распространенных в названный период, способах их лечения и состоянии медицины в целом, о гигиене во франкском обществе, а также о рационе и составе продуктов. Собранный материал позволяет утверждать, что: а) источники раннего меровингского периода отличаются чрезвычайной скудостью данных в сфере бытописания; б) франкское общество было весьма уязвимо перед самыми разнообразными болезнями, и приоритет веры перед медициной не позволял им противостоять; в) представления об отсутствии элементарной гигиены в раннем средневековье сильно преувеличены; г) набор потребляемых продуктов отличался простотой и одновременно разнообразием при зачаточных умениях в кулинарии., This paper is an attempt to collect and systematize information about the material conditions of life in the Frankish state of the Merovingians in the 6th century. The choice of the topic is due to the need to compose a complete picture of a person’s life from the beginning of the early Middle Ages, which until now has remained poorly researched, unlike the Carolingian period. The sources used are the writings of Gregory of Tours, Venantius Fortunatus, Apollinaris Sidonius, The Chronicle of Fredegar, «The History Book of the Franks» and others. The paper contains data on the diseases and epidemics that were widespread during the mentioned period, methods of their treatment and the state of medicine in general, hygiene in the Frankish society, as well as the diet and composition of products. The collected material says that: a) the sources of the early Merovingian period are extremely scarce data in the field of life descriptions; b) the Frankish society was very vulnerable to a wide variety of diseases, and the priority of faith over medicine did not allow them to resist; c) ideas about the absence of elementary hygiene in the early Middle Ages are greatly exaggerated, and d) the set of consumed products was distinguished by simplicity and at the same time diversity with rudimentary skills in cooking.

Данная работа является логическим продолжением нашей статьи «Повседневная жизнь франков по письменным источникам во времена Григория Турского: болезни, медицина, гигиена и еда». Статья представляет собой попытку сбора и систематизации информации о материальных условиях жизни во Франкском государстве Меровингов в VI столетии в описаниях авторов-современников. Выбор темы обусловлен необходимостью составления цельной картины быта человека начала раннего средневековья, которая до настоящего времени остаётся плохо исследованной в отличие от каролингского периода. В качестве источников использованы сочинения Григория Турского, Венанция Фортуната, Сидония Аполлинария, «Хроники» Фредегара, «Книга истории франков» и другие. В статье собраны данные об одежде различных групп населения, об оружии и доспехах франков и уровне развития военного дела, о городах и городской жизни и некоторых особенностях менталитета пока наполовину варварского общества. Собранный материал позволяет утверждать, что: источники раннего меровингского периода, в отличие от каролингской эпохи, отличаются чрезвычайной скудостью данных в сфере бытописания; несмотря на довольно примитивный вид одежды, она обладала не только немалой материальной ценностью, но и имела знаковую сущность; римские города продолжали существовать на территории Галлии, но в значительной степени потеряли свой городской характер, превратившись в укреплённые центры; христианизация весьма мало повлияла на моральный облик франков; общество оставалось в значительной степени варварским, хотя отдельные черты свидетельствуют о начале складывания новой цивилизации., This paper is a logical continuation of our paper «The daily life of Franks according to written sources at the time of Gregory of Tours, I: diseases, medicine, hygiene and food». This paper is an attempt to collect and systematize information about the material conditions of life in the Frankish state of the Merovingians in the 6th century in the descriptions of contemporary authors. The choice of the topic is due to the need to compose a complete picture of a person’s life from the beginning of the early Middle Ages, which until now has remained poorly researched, unlike the Carolingian period. The sources used are the writings of Gregory of Tours, Venantius Fortunatus, Apollinaris Sidonius, The Chronicle of Fredegar, «The History Book of the Franks» and others. The paper collects data on the clothes of various population groups, on the weapons and armor of the Franks and the level of military affairs development, on cities and urban life, and some features of the mentality of so far half barbaric society. The collected material allows us to state that: a) the sources of the early Merovingian period, in contrast to the Carolingian era, are distinguished by the extreme scarcity of data in the field of genesis; b) despite a rather primitive look of clothing, it possessed considerable material value, as well as it had a significant essence, c) Roman cities continued to exist on the territory of Gallia, but largely lost their urban character, turning into fortified centers, and c) Christianization had very little influence on the moral character of the Franks; society remained largely barbaric, although some features indicate the beginning of the formation of a new civilization.

Background The lifestyles of family caregivers pose risks to their physical, mental and social health. The capability to stay healthy may be protective in the context of poor socioeconomic conditions and risk behaviours, but the interrelations between its aspects and their respective influences remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the interrelations between the factors comprising health capability of family caregivers (HCFC) and the respective contributions of its components. Methods All stroke patients admitted to all hospitals in Luxembourg were identified by the ‘Inspection Générale de la Sécurité Sociale’ using the national database system for care expenditure reimbursement, and asked to designate the main person caring for them. Sixty-two caregivers (mean age 59.3 years; 40 women and 22 men) responded face to face, to a questionnaire including 20 items measuring eight aspects of health capability (physical functioning, psychological functioning, lifestyle value, self-efficacy towards the use of health services, family support, social capital, material conditions/sense of security, and satisfaction with the interactions with health services). Using a Bayesian approach, significance values were estimated by comparing the test values to the posterior distribution of the parameters. Structural equation modelling with standard deviations was applied. Results Female family caregivers had lower scores than men in physical and psychological functioning. Family caregivers with the lowest incomes had the least lifestyle value, social capital and material conditions/security. Self-efficacy towards health services increased with age. The material conditions/sense of security factor was positively correlated with almost all the others. The items that impacted health capability factors the most were - for physical functioning – fatigue, and - for family support - feeling abandoned by the family. Conclusions During the chronic phase, relationships between risk behaviours can help guide social and health decision-makers to determine their priorities in improving the lives of family caregivers. Enhancing health capability involves implementing programs that relieve family caregivers physically, and foster family networking around the person being cared for. Special attention should also be paid to the socially disadvantaged in order to fight inequalities in health capability. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-016-3027-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.