Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze research trends and to suggest future directions for research on families of patients with chronic disease. Method: The method used was a review of 83 dissertations and articles related to these families published in Korea between 1980 and 2002. Analysis included design of the study, sources of data, interventions for experimental research and main concepts for non-experimental research. Result: It was found that 80.7% of the studies were non-experimental research and 85.1% of these were descriptive surveys. In 79.5% of research studies, data were collected at a hospital. Nursing interventions in the experimental studies included stress management, education, strengthening functional communication among family members and nursing management. The major concepts were family burden, family stress, and coping, and family experience. Conclusion: It is necessary that research on the family-as-a-client be more focused and that the results of family related research be applied to the family as a unit. Development of research instruments to measure the phenomena of Korean families of patients with chronic disease is also needed.