A young woman asks a public health nurse about Hepatitis B exposure risk after her friend was diagnosed. Which question is most important to ask this woman?

• A. Have you traveled recently?
• B. Do you have a history of liver disease?
• C. Have you had sex with your friend?
• D. Have you shared any needles or had sex with your friend?

Answer: (D)

The main idea is to identify whether there has been direct exposure to Hepatitis B through contact with infected blood or body fluids. Hep B spreads most reliably through sexual contact and sharing needles or other equipment that punctures the skin. Asking whether you have shared any needles or had sex with your diagnosed friend directly probes the most likely routes of transmission from that specific case, making it the most informative question to assess immediate risk. Travel history and a past liver condition don’t address the exposure from this friend in the same direct way, and a simple question about sex with the friend doesn’t capture needle-sharing risk. If exposure is present, vaccination and other preventive steps can be considered promptly to reduce the risk of infection.