Think again. Although African-Americans make up only 12 percent of the nation’s females, we account for “66 percent of new HIV infections,” according to the Centers for Disease Control.

While you’re considering that statistic, think about these facts from the same source:

• In 2004, HIV infection was the leading cause of death for African American women aged 25–34 years and the third leading cause of death for African American women aged 35–44 years.
• In 2005, the rate of AIDS diagnoses for African American women was 20 times the rate for White women.
• HIV/AIDS-related conditions are now the leading cause of death for African American women aged 25-34 years.

So what can you do? Start by clicking over to the World AIDS Day 2007 link at the Centers for Disease Control website. You don’t even have to leave the computer to take that step. Next, get tested for HIV/AIDS if you haven’t been. And get retested for the virus if it’s been a while since your last test or screening.

Finally, learn about the disease and its prevention, and tell what you know. Our community institutions have been quite close-mouthed when it comes to talking about HIV/AIDS. But now, we need to start talking. If you have to ask why, go back and read those figures from the CDC. With numbers like those, we all need to spread the word about ways to combat this disease.

The Los Angeles County coroner has yet to rule the cause of Donda West’s death, but that hasn’t stopped pundits and the public from speculation and ruminating. So perhaps it’s time to pause, and remind ourselves that jumping to conclusions can easily us to miss the mark.

Dr. Nathaniel Johnson III, a cosmetic surgeon and gynecologist in Atlanta, offers a good reason why. He recalled a incident where a colleague endured tough scrutiny when the patient died after surgery. Turned out the fingers were pointed in the wrong direction: the patient died not from the surgery, but from an aggressive brain tumor that had been undiagnosed.

In a few weeks, we’ll probably know why West died. As tragic as her demise was, though Johnson hopes it will raise public awareness about the seriousness of cosmetic surgery.

“If this situation can educate the population about the safety and risks, then perhaps she won’t have died in vain,” he said.

Indeed, cosmetic surgery is getting lots more attention now. Think about television shows, like “Extreme Makeover,” that have turned a medical procedure into a type of pseudo-educational entertainment. But these shows emphasize the cosmetics, to the detriment of the surgery.

“With all surgeries, there are risks involved,” Johnson said. “You can have infections, complications during the surgery, and the risk of bleeding or injury to other organs. The procedures that West had – breast reduction and the “tummy tuck” or abdominoplasty – are major operations. We’re not talking pack-and-go procedures, especially if the patient needs general anesthesia.

Why the warning? Cosmetic surgery is becoming more common among African Americans. In 2002, for example, about 375,000 African Americans had cosmetic surgery, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Two years later, that number had grown to roughly 488,000.

“(African Americans) are the new frontier when it comes to cosmetic surgery,” says Johnson, who notes that 60 percent of his clients are people of color.

If you’re considering plastic surgery, educate yourself. Go to www.plasticsurgery.org The site’s public education links can help you find a doctor, and learn what’s involved is some of the more common operations.

My name is Afi-Odelia Scruggs, and I’ve been writing about wellness, health and nutrition for several years. My articles have appeared in Essence, Health and Real Health magazines.

My experience has expanded my definition of health. I used to think of health in physical terms: fitness, good nutrition, etc. Now I think more of wellness: adopting habits that will strengthen your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being.

That means I’ll be talking about eating right and living right, dropping pounds and relieving stress. I’m not above talking about meditation or prayer as tools to living your best life.

I’m aiming for postings that informative and conversational, so I want to hear from you. Please don’t hesitate to submit comments – let’s keep them civil – questions and ideas for topics. I’ll be posting three to five times a week so stop by often. And tell your friends, either via email or word of mouth.