A female adult patient presents to the clinic with reports of a white discharge and itching in the vaginal area. A nurse is taking a health history. Which question is the priority?

A) "When was the last time you visited your primary health care provider?"
B) "Has this condition affected your eating habits in any way?"
C) "What medications are you currently taking?"
D) "Are you able to sleep at night?"

Antibiotics and oral contraceptives can disrupt normal flora in the vagina, causing an overgrowth of Candida albicans in that area. It is important to ask the patient about current medications to obtain information that may assist with diagnosis. The body contains normal flora (microorganisms) that live on the surface of skin, saliva, oral mucosa, gastrointestinal tract, and genitourinary tract. The normal flora of the vagina causes vaginal secretions to achieve a low pH, inhibiting the growth of many microorganisms. Visiting the primary health care provider is important for the patient's health maintenance but is not the priority. Learning about the patient's eating and sleeping habits will assist in the plan of care but is not the priority.