title: Assessment of Quality of Life of HIV-Positive People Receiving ART: An Indian Perspective.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  HIV/AIDS is known to affect an individual not only physically but also mentally, socially, and financially. It is a syndrome that builds a vacuum in a person affecting his/her life as a whole.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the quality of life (QOL) of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) receiving ART and its association with Body mass index (BMI) and CD4 count.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational study was performed on PLHIV receiving ART in Orissa, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on sociodemographic profile, BMI, and CD4 were gathered from 153 HIV-positive subjects. QOL was assessed using WHOQOL-HIV BREF scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall QOL score of the subjects was moderate; PLHIV with lower BMI also had poorer QOL (P<0.05). Employment affected only the social health domain of the subjects. Men reported poorer level of independence and physical health while women reported poorer social relationships and environment. All the six domains correlated significantly with the overall QOL indicated by the G-facet.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Attention toward improving the nutritional status of PLHIV should be accorded high priority to ensure improvement in the overall QOL of PLHIV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Institute of Home Economics, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Deepika
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Anand
authors.forename: Seema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Puri
authors.forename: Minnie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mathew
keywords: BMI; HIV/AIDS; WHOQOL-BREF; quality of life