Purpose: The purpose of the study was to identify the effects of a 9-week self-help management aquatic exercise program on pain, flexibility, balance, fatigue and self-efficacy in the patients with osteoarthritis living in the suburban area. Methods: Utilizing a quasi-experimental design, 43 osteoarthritis patients consisted of the experimental group (n=20) and the control group (n=23). Due to the busy schedule of the patients working in the farm, the program was provided for 9 weeks instead of 12 week program under the guidance of professional advice. The questionnaires and physical measurements were used to measure the outcome variables before and after the program. Data were analyzed with the SPSS WIN using descriptive statistics, t-test and ANCOVA. Results: The age was significantly different between the groups. After controlling for the age, pain and fatigue in the experimental group decreased significantly more than the control group. Flexibility, balance and self-efficacy in the experimental group improved significantly more than the control group. Conclusion: This 9-week program could be an effective nursing intervention to be used especially for osteoarthritis patients in the suburban area during the leisure seasons of the farmers to improve their arthritic symptoms and self-efficacy.