Things are growing progressively worse for Utahns in social services, according to a report scheduled to be released this morning.

Insufficient income, lack of affordable health care and housing top the list of worsening trends in the United Way of Salt Lake's 2007 Community Assessment. Other areas of concern include language and cultural barriers and lack of access to mental health care.

"The thing that surprised me the most, I think, and disturbed me the most is there's not anything getting better," said Deborah Bayle Nielsen, president and CEO of the United Way of Salt Lake.

The United Way will present its findings today to some 500 people from various public, private and nonprofit sectors at its annual Report to the Community breakfast.

"These problems are serious enough that we, as an entire community, need to work on them together," Nielsen said.

The 2007 study updates 2004 research and found that in all but three of the 17 social problems that impact Utah communities, the situation is significantly worse than it was three years ago. Researchers surveyed recipients of social services and service providers in Davis, Salt Lake, Summit and Tooele counties to reach their conclusions.

The report identifies four core issues as the root causes of all 17 problems: insufficient income, people lacking life skills, barriers to education and inadequate opportunities for child and youth development. The four issues are the same as they were in 2004, though the third and fourth issues have switched priority positions.

The study attributes the deteriorating situation to a number of factors, including: declining median household income; increasing health-care costs and an increased number of uninsured Utahns; housing prices that are increasing at a faster rate than income; a growing population of non-English-speaking residents; and decreasing funds to mental health care.

"This shows that our society here in this area is changing dramatically and we need to be aware of that and taking action," Nielsen said.

In addition to working toward systemic change, a goal of the United Way, the report shows a real need to continue to provide a safety net of services, she said. "We have to make sure that we never lose sight of meeting people's immediate needs."

The entire study is available online at www.uw.org.

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E-mail: awelling@desnews.com