ICT-Mediated Engagement Strategies in HIV Prevention Programmes for Gay Men in Ugandan Slums: A Methodological Framework

ICT-mediated engagement strategies are increasingly being used to address HIV prevention among marginalized populations in Uganda, particularly gay men living in urban slums where traditional outreach methods may be less effective. A mixed-methods approach combining quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews was employed. Data were collected from 300 participants through online questionnaires and 20 semi-structured interviews. Statistical models included logistic regression to analyse survey data, accounting for potential confounders such as socio-economic status and previous HIV knowledge. A significant proportion (65%) of respondents reported increased trust in the ICT platform compared to traditional methods. However, there was a notable theme regarding privacy concerns among younger participants (aged 18-24). The methodological framework demonstrates that ICT can be an effective tool for engaging hard-to-reach populations but requires tailored strategies to address specific user needs and concerns. Future research should focus on developing more secure and private ICT platforms specifically designed for gay men in slum communities, alongside ongoing community education programmes to mitigate privacy issues. ICT-HIV prevention, Gay men, Slums, Community engagement, Mixed-methods approach Model estimation used $\hat{\theta}=argmin_{\theta}\sum_i\ell(y_i,f_\theta(x_i))+\lambda\lVert\theta\rVert_2^2$, with performance evaluated using out-of-sample error.