To determine possible sources of sexually transmitted infections, which is the BEST method that may be undertaken by the public health nurse?

• A. Contact tracing
• B. Community survey
• C. Mass screening tests
• D. Interview suspects

Answer: (A)

Identifying transmission links through contact tracing is the most direct way for a public health nurse to determine possible sources of sexually transmitted infections. By interviewing the person with infection to identify sexual and other contacts who may have been exposed, then notifying those contacts and facilitating testing and treatment, the nurse maps the transmission network and interrupts further spread. This targeted, confidential approach focuses on individuals who may have acquired or transmitted infection, making it the most effective way to locate sources in a given case.

In contrast, a community survey looks at how common the infection is in a population but doesn’t pinpoint who exposed whom; mass screening tests search broadly to detect infections and can be resource-intensive without directly revealing transmission sources for a specific case; interviewing suspects is not an appropriate or reliable public health practice due to ethical and privacy considerations.