Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can lead to a difficult and painful condition if left untreated and the heavy burden of the disease may create many problems for the patients.

We aimed to design a structural model of quality of life based on optimism mediated by coping strategies in patients with HIV.

The research method was descriptive using structural equation modeling. The statistical population of the study consisted of all patients with HIV referred to the Iranian AIDS Studies Center and the Iranian Family Health Association during 2018-2019. The sample consisted of 250 patients with HIV referred to the Iranian AIDS Studies Center and the Iranian Family Health Association who were selected using convenience sampling based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were collected using the quality of life, Lazarus-Folkman coping styles, and revised life orientation questionnaires. Data were analyzed by Pearson’s correlation coefficient and structural equation modeling using SPSS software, version 22, and Lisrel software version 8.80.

Coping strategies had a mediating role in the relationship between quality of life and optimism in patients with HIV (AGFI=0.92, RMSEA = 0.051).

Coping strategies played a mediating role in the relationship between optimism and quality of life so that quality of life increased with the direct effect of optimism and coping strategies.