RESEARCH ARTICLE a

Full list of author information is available at the end of the articleBackground The advent of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) and its widespread availability in many settings has reduced the mortality rate among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) [1]. As longevity of PLHA improves as a result of ART, improvement of quality of life (QoL) of these patients has become an important issue for researchers and policy makers [2]. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), QoL is defined as an individuals’ perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns [2]. This definition considers individuals ’ satisfaction on their physical, psychological, social relationships, environment, and spiritual aspects of their life [3]. In addition to its biological and physical burden, HIV/ AIDS is associated with many social consequences such as stigma and discrimination which have negative impacts * Correspondence